Wildfire Rages Near Spanish Village, Threatening Historic Monasteries

Firefighters and military emergency units in Spain's Huesca region worked through the night into Saturday to contain a wildfire that has already scorched thousands of hectares and forced hundreds of residents to evacuate.

The blaze, known as the Peñas de Riglos fire, has moved perilously close to populated areas and two historic monasteries. The village of Santa Cruz de la Serós, which houses the monasteries, came under direct threat overnight, prompting round-the-clock efforts to protect homes and heritage structures.

Crews were seen spraying water on the facade of the new monastery of San Juan de la Peña to prevent flames from taking hold. Fire engines were positioned near residential buildings as the fire raged on the hillside, and personnel used drones to monitor the fire's behavior and coordinate their response.

Earlier in the week, an emergency military unit, assisted by heritage experts, evacuated several historical artifacts from the old monastery of San Juan de la Peña. Local media reported that some items were linked to the first kings of Aragon and the 10th count of Aranda, all buried at the site, along with paintings and relics of historical value.

The old monastery, carved into the cliff at Santa Cruz de la Serós, dates to the 8th century, while the new monastery was built in the 18th century on a plateau higher up the hillside.

The fire is the latest in a series of blazes fueled by intense heat waves that have swept across Europe in recent weeks, affecting regions from western Europe to the Balkans.