"The Spanish government sent firefighting aircraft on Monday to help douse dozens of wildfires in northern Spain that erupted over the past week after an unusual dry spell.

A spate of fires has been sweeping northern Spain for over a week now, an unusual phenomenon in regions that skirt the rough seas of the Bay of Biscay and are normally rainy, especially in winter.

More than 80 fires were burning on Monday morning across the lush Cantabria region. In neighboring Asturias, another 30 were still raging, fed by strong winds, while another 19 had been brought under control, emergency services said."

Sarah White and Angus Berwick report for Reuters December 28, 2015. [2]