Thousands evacuated in Spain as deadly heatwave fans Mediterranean wildfires

Boy, four, dies of heatstroke in Rome as scientists say high temperatures and fires are reminder of climate emergency

The deadly heatwave fanning wildfires across the Mediterranean region has claimed at least three lives and forced thousands of people from their homes.

Firefighters continued to battle blazes on Tuesday and authorities braced for further damage as temperatures in some areas surged well past 40C. In Spain, a Romanian man in his 50s died after suffering 98% burns while trying to rescue horses from a burning stable near Madrid on Monday night.