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.

ATHENS, Greece -- Fire crews in Greece, Spain and Portugal raced to contain wildfires on Thursday, taking advantage of calmer winds that slowed the blazes even as much of southern Europe remained at high risk under hot, dry conditions.

A second volunteer firefighter has died after battling a wildfire in the northern Spanish province of Leon, while police arrested a man for allegedly starting a separate blaze as the country faced one of its worst summers for fires in 20 years.

Europe’s wildfire crisis intensified as blazes across Greece, Spain, France and Portugal forced thousands to from their homes — killing at least six and consuming over 1 million acres amid record heat and worsening climate conditions.

Spain is grappling with 14 major wildfires on Friday as authorities warn of “unfavourable conditions” hindering containment efforts. The fires have already killed seven people and devastated more than 150,000 hectares (579 square miles) of land.

Mircea Spiridon, a 50-year-old Romanian man, died in the Spanish region of Tres Cantos while saving an 83-year-old man, the owner of the riding stables razed to the ground in the same fire. The Romanian arrived in Spain 20 years ago.

Spiridon was one of three people to die in Spain’s wildfires this week, each of them ordinary people who saw the flames and rushed to help.

A fire that started in the Galician town of A Mezquita spread to Castile and León on Thursday, forcing the evacuation of 1,700 people