More than 100 fires, most the result of arson, according to the authorities, raging in northern Spainwhile another, which for a week burned large areas near Valencia, in the east, was brought under control.

A total of 119 fires are ongoing this afternoon in the region of Asturias and neighboring Cantabria. Most of them (91) are located in the autonomous region of Asturias. At one point earlier, 160 fires were raging simultaneously in these two mountainous provinces famous for their forests, authorities said, assuring that most were the work of arsonists.

“We are facing real terrorists who are endangering lives, villages and cities,” Asturias President Adrian Barbón tweeted. “Those who act in this way do not deserve to be called anything else,” he later explained to reporters referring to his characterization of the arsonists.

The fires grew in size due to the strong winds and as a result many roads were closed and many hundreds of people had to be evacuated from their homes. The coastal town of Valdes was engulfed in flames and cut off from the rest of the country, while in Oviedo, the capital of Asturias, flames reached the first houses due to a fire on Mount Naranco.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who is visiting China, said he spoke with Barbon and expressed his solidarity.

In Castellón, in the region of Valencia, firefighters today managed to bring under control a forest fire that broke out on March 23. This is the first major forest fire this year and is estimated to have burned a total of 47,000 acres.

Spain is suffering from a long drought and authorities believe that the fire season, which until now was limited to summer, will extend into spring and autumn as a result of climate change. In 2022, a “black year” for Europe, Spain was the worst-hit country after almost 500 fires burning 3 million hectares were recorded in the country, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (Effis).