Dramatic Scenes As Spain Faces One Of Its Largest Wildfires on Record

A blazing inferno, the largest in Spain's recent history. More than 32,000 hectares up in flames in the central part of the country, just two hours from Madrid. 1,200 people have been evacuated from 34 villages, with no reports of any deaths nor injuries so far. The Spanish Prime Minister visited the ravaged area of Guadalajara today, calling for climate action. Spain needs a major agreement, a grand national pact against the climate emergency, because we cannot simply react to fires or climate emergencies that lead to civil protection emergencies once they occur. Rather, we must act beforehand. We need to raise public awareness. We must not trivialise the effects of the climate emergency, but take it very seriously. Spain has already suffered from 22 wildfires this year, with one of the deadliest a fortnight ago, claiming 13 lives in southern Spain. Over in the Teruel province, there was a sigh of relief though, as some residents returned home after the area was contained. The worry of not being at home, of not knowing what the situation was like. We also have animals, so we were all a bit worried. Well, the truth is that this is a relief now, especially a mental relief, but it's all right. Yes, now a smile of joy at being back home. Nobody knows how hard this is. Today, as firefighters continue to battle the flames, aided by water-dumping aircraft, there are concerns that it could get worse before it gets better. Since Tuesday, the country has been in the midst of a heat wave, with the government reporting temperatures are expected to reach extremes of 44 degrees Celsius in the south by Thursday. That, combined with limited rainfall and wind, could see the week-old wildfire burn for much longer before it's finally wrangled into submission. Isla Todd, ITV News. People living on the Italian island of Sicily were also urged to flee their homes today as wildfires burned there. More than 100 residents took the advice to evacuate from two towns on the west of the island, a plain from nearby Sardinia was drafted in to help us. Firefighters continue to work day and night to contain the spread. Temperatures there have been around 40 degrees for the last few days, and there's been massive evacuations in France as well. More than 400 people were forced to flee after a major wildfire broke out in Ponteve in the south of the country yesterday. Thousands were left without power. The smoke from the fire could be seen from nearly 40 miles away. It was eventually contained this morning. Well, not on the same scale, thank goodness. The UK has seen several wildfires here in recent weeks during this hot and humid, hot and dry conditions, I should say. Well, let's take a look at tonight's forecast. Jo Blythe is at Bolton Abbey near Skipton on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales. So, Jo, how's it looking where you are? Certainly very dry, Mary, for many of us as we head towards the end of this week. Here on the River Wharf, just outside Skipton at Bolton Abbey, it is running very low, this river. Great news for visitors because the fantastic stepping stones are proud out of the water and they can really enjoy them. It's lower than it would be, though, at this time of year, and there's no real rain in the forecast. A slightly fresher feel here in Yorkshire this afternoon, whereas elsewhere down in parts of London, it's reached 28 degrees today. It has been incredibly warm and hosepipe bans are in place across East Anglia, the southeast of England, with advisories elsewhere. No real rain in the forecast for many of those areas as we head towards the end of the week. Of course, we are now on the 22nd of July. Let's take a look at a few stats. Rather unsurprisingly, it has been drier than average so far this month, and we have recorded above average hours of sunshine. We're also on track for it to be one of the warmest Julys on record. Now, focusing on this week and temperatures, will they be easing down? Now, these temperatures here are representative of the south of the UK. Very warm conditions again tomorrow, 29 degrees possible. It's not really until Sunday when we'll begin to see something slightly fresher moving in to those southern counties of England and Wales. A real north-south split as we round off this week. It will turn a little fresher for northern areas, but we are holding on to a good deal of warmth in the south of the UK.