Four wildfires burning in western Colorado have consumed more than 250 square miles, threatened hundreds of homes and forced evacuations, fire officials said.

The fires have ravaged small, sparsely populated towns in the country's northwest, forcing locals in many cases to act as firefighters. About 2,382 square miles have burned across Spain and Portugal.

Spain's worst wave of wildfires in at least two decades spread to the southern slopes of the Picos de Europa mountain range on Monday and prompted authorities to close part of the popular Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route.

The Bivens Creek and Cloudrest fires have burned 2,088 acres in Madison County and remain uncontained as of Monday.

Fired Los Angeles fire chief Kristin Crowley is suing the city for her ouster, claiming Mayor Karen Bass launched a smear campaign against her after the deadly wildfires earlier this year.

By Nacho Doce and Guillermo Martinez GONDULFES, Spain (Reuters) -Wildfires raging in northern and western Spain have burned through nearly the same area in the past 24 hours as in all of last year, although the end of a 16-day heatwave and expected rainfall have fanned hopes that an end may be in sight.

The key to preventing forest fires is creating a rural economy based on the use of forests. While this would generate much-needed employment in “la España vaciada” – “hollowed-out Spain”, the name given to the country’s depopulated rural areas – it also costs money. It is therefore essential to invest in forests.

Four fires that sparked on Sunday are burning along the Highway 200 corridor near Flathead River west of Dixon.

Spain's worst wave of wildfires on record spread to the southern slopes of the Picos de Europa mountains and prompted authorities to close part of the popular Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route.

The Bivens Creek and Cloudrest fires continue to burn in southwest Montana. Both fires remain uncontained as of Wednesday.The Bivens Creek Fire, which started