Spain prepares for rare solar eclipse against backdrop of heat and wildfires

Spain prepares for rare solar eclipse against backdrop of heat and wildfires 1 of 2 | For the first time in more than a century, a total solar eclipse is coming to mainland Spain. Daytime darkness will descend Aug. 12 across the Iberian Peninsula close to sunset — plus slivers of Greenland and Iceland — as the sun, moon and Earth align perfectly in the sky. (AP video: Iain Sullivan; Production: Shelby Lum) 2 of 2 | Spain is preparing to witness a total solar eclipse on Aug. 12, the first to cross the country’s mainland in more than a century. (AP Video: Iain Sullivan) 1 of 2 For the first time in more than a century, a total solar eclipse is coming to mainland Spain. Daytime darkness will descend Aug. 12 across the Iberian Peninsula close to sunset — plus slivers of Greenland and Iceland — as the sun, moon and Earth align perfectly in the sky. (AP video: Iain Sullivan; Production: Shelby Lum) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 2 of 2 Spain is preparing to witness a total solar eclipse on Aug. 12, the first to cross the country’s mainland in more than a century. (AP Video: Iain Sullivan) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] MADRID (AP) — Spaniards were rushing to buy specialized glasses to view a rare total solar eclipse Wednesday, as authorities warned people flocking to rural areas to avoid anything that could spark new wildfires.Across a swath of northern and central Spain, millions of people will have some of mainland Europe’s best views of the celestial spectacle. It will begin around sunset, when the sun, moon and Earth align, briefly bringing parts of the Iberian Peninsula — plus slivers of Greenland and Iceland — into darkness.The event could draw at least an additional half a million visitors, Spanish authorities say. Against the backdrop of scorching summer temperatures and wildfires, officials have rolled out a large public safety campaign ahead of the much-anticipated eclipse, with totality — when the moon completely covers the sun’s light — expected to last less than 2 1/2 minutes. Spanish authorities prepare for influx of visitors in rural areasSpain’s Interior Ministry said 350 official viewing sites have been set up across the country’s sparsely populated interior, an area often referred to as “Empty Spain.” Authorities have limited or restricted access to another 123 sites because of environmental conditions or obstacles that could hinder an evacuation in the event of a wildfire.