Firefighters in Spain, Portugal and Greece battled ongoing wildfires Friday, an important religious holiday in all three countries, as persistent hot, dry conditions challenged efforts to contain the blazes.

A heatwave with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, or 104 Fahrenheit, on several days this month was expected to last through Monday.

A volunteer firefighter died from severe burns and several people were hospitalised in dozens of wildfires that raged across Spain on Wednesday, fuelled by strong winds and scorching heat. Wildfires have so far burned almost 99,