The European Commission is deploying firefighting aircraft to Spain, where at least seven have died as 14 wildfires have flared amid a European heat wave.

The European Union has sent two firefighting planes to Spain to help battle raging wildfires, after the country activated the bloc's disaster assistance mechanism for the first time. The assistance comes as the country recorded a third wildfire-related death on Thursday morning.

Fire crews in Greece, Spain, and Portugal are racing to contain wildfires. Calmer winds on Thursday have helped slow the blazes.

Drone footage shows the aftermath of wildfires that swept through Spain's Galicia region:: Verin, Spain:: The country was battling 14 major blazes driven by high winds and aggravated by heat:: The flames have consumed around 388,

A second volunteer firefighter has died after battling a wildfire in the northern Spanish province of Leon, while police arrested a man for allegedly starting a separate blaze as the country faced one of its worst summers for fires in 20 years.

Strikes across popular destinations such as Madrid, Barcelona, Ibiza and Palma de Mallorca kick off on Friday, 15 August

Colleen Crowley and her family wanted more than their “sheltered” life in Montecito could offer. They packed everything into 10 suitcases, moved to Spain and have never looked back.

The tradition of the siesta is no accident. Spain has been living with extreme heat for centuries, and its people have ways of coping.

Giovanna Gonzalez, 35, moved to Spain in April. She said the country's lower cost of living has allowed her to work less and relax more.

There are very few Somali refugees in Spain. However, some have been arriving to the islands of Formentera and Mallorca by way of Algeria