Spain's worst wave of wildfires on record spread to the southern slopes of the Picos de Europa mountains on Monday and prompted authorities to close part of the popular Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route.

By Nacho Doce and Guillermo Martinez GONDULFES, Spain (Reuters) -Wildfires raging in northern and western Spain have burned through nearly the same area in the past 24 hours as in all of last year, although the end of a 16-day heatwave and expected rainfall have fanned hopes that an end may be in sight.

Joaquín Ramírez of Technosylva, a Spanish company that specialises in prevention and response to wildfires, attributed this year’s litany of fires to “a combination of abandonment of rural areas, abandonment of managing [the land] and the stress exerted on our forest areas”.

Wildfires in Spain spanning a burnt area twice the size of London will trigger disaster declarations for the worst affected regions, its prime minister said, clearing the way for funding for aid and reconstruction.

VILLANUEVA DE LA SIERRA, Spain, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Spain battled 14 major fires driven by high winds and aggravated by heat on Friday as authorities warned of "unfavourable conditions" to tackle flames that have already killed seven people and burned an area the size of London.

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.

Spanish national team head coach Luis de la Fuente has given an update on players concerning Real Madrid in an interview with Onda Cero. With the new season only just beginning, De la Fuente is not

The key to preventing forest fires is creating a rural economy based on the use of forests. While this would generate much-needed employment in “la España vaciada” – “hollowed-out Spain”, the name given to the country’s depopulated rural areas – it also costs money. It is therefore essential to invest in forests.