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Hundreds flee wildfire on Spain's Costa Blanca

September 5, 2016

Spanish fire crews are battling to bring a fire near the southeastern city of Valencia under control. The blaze ripped through brush surrounding a popular tourist resort, forcing the evacuation of more than 1,000 people.

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Image: picture-alliance/dpa/F.Chmiel

Authorities said 300 firefighters backed by water-dropping aircraft were deployed to Spain's Costa Blanca on Monday after the wildfire flared up overnight.

Several homes were destroyed as three separate forest fires swept towards the Mediterranean resort of Javea, prompting emergency services to evacuate more than 1,000 residents and holidaymakers.

Javea city councillor Maria del Pilar Zamora told Spanish TV many people were put up in schools or taken in by locals.

"We had to evacuate people who were walking on the street with their suitcases fleeing from the fire. We've evacuated a lot of people," Javea Red Cross chief Jose Luis Domenech said, adding that one person had been taken to hospital suffering smoke inhalation.

Authorities said it appeared the fire had been started deliberately on Sunday, and that scorching temperatures, strong winds and low humidity had caused it to spread quickly.

Most of Spain was facing an "extreme risk" of wildfires on Monday, with temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) forecast in some parts of the country.

nm/rc (AP, AFP)