The European Union has sent two planes to assist Spain in taking care of wildfires, after Spain activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism for the first time ever for forest fires.

The European Union has sent two firefighting planes to Spain to help battle raging wildfires, after the country activated the bloc's disaster assistance mechanism for the first time. The assistance comes as the country recorded a third wildfire-related death on Thursday morning.

A volunteer firefighter died from severe burns and several people were hospitalised as the state weather agency warned that almost all of the country was at extreme or very high risk of fire.