Spanish authorities say two people have died in northeastern Spain in a wildfire that spread quickly before firefighters brought it under control.

LONDON (Reuters) -Wildfires have killed two people in Spain and two others have died in France because of a heatwave that has gripped Europe and forced the closure of a nuclear reactor at a Swiss power plant.

Europe continues to grapple with a severe heatwave, exacerbating conditions for wildfires across the continent. The inferno, which erupted in a farming area of Torrefeta on Tuesday afternoon, devastated several farms and scorched an area stretching approximately 40 kilometres (25 miles).