On Monday 18 July, a Spanish man was trying to save his town from wildfires. The fire engulfed his digger and forced him to flee for his life.
Angel Martin Arjona was digging a trench in the field to stop the approaching flames reaching Tabara in the northwestern region when the searing heat closed in on him.
Reuters footage showed him driving quickly before turning near a fence. His machine vanished from view, soon surrounded by flames and smoke.
Arjona fled from the flames, fell and stumbled, and then continued running with his trousers still burning, and a firefighter wearing protective gear following.
Arjona, who was the owner of a warehouse for construction, was taken by helicopter to hospital with severe burns. His friend Juan Lozano, a mechanic, said that he had heard about his dramatic escape from Arjona.
It could have destroyed everything. Lozano stated that it did not happen because of the good professionals and people with the balls to protect us.
On Monday, firefighters battled blazes in southern Europe as people sought shade. This was compounded by fears about climate change and a heatwave that sent firefighters into action.
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