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Date Published: 31/07/2024

VIDEO: Hundreds evacuated as wildfires tear through southern Spain

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A spark from a radial saw caused the blaze in Alicante, which has already torn through 320 hectares

Las labores de extinción siguen su buen curso, medios aéreos más los aproximadamente 60 efectivos #cpba junto a @UMEgob y @GVAbforestals, han ido consiguiendo mantener la evolución favorable del incendio. Balance provisional de 327 hectáreas quemadas en un perímetro de 15 km pic.twitter.com/J3i7ov4LTM
— Consorcio Provincial Bomberos Alicante (@BomberosDipuALC) July 31, 2024

With little let-up in the heat and strong winds, forest fires are tearing through several parts of Spain, with the worst of the blazes in Benasau, Alicante and Valverdejo in inland Castilla-La Mancha.

These fires have led to the evacuation of hundreds of people due to the risk of smoke inhalation, as well as the closure of roads and the disconnection of a substation on the Madrid-Levante high-speed train line.

In Alicante, a fire sparked by a radial saw in Benasau has ravaged more than 320 hectares. The fire's rapid spread, exacerbated by dry terrain and vegetation, along with changing winds, has prompted the evacuation of nearly 800 people from Benasau, Penáguilas and Alcolecha over the past 24 hours.

Firefighters made progress overnight, containing the fire's front thanks to favourable weather conditions. However, experts anticipate a worsening of conditions in the coming hours, with the Generalitat's Emergencies Service declaring an extreme risk of forest fires.

The roads that remain affected by the forest fire are the regional roads CV-781 and CV-785, as well as a section of the CV-770, according to sources from the Guardia Civil Traffic Department.

In nearby Biar, a fire that broke out on Tuesday July 30 has been stabilised. The blaze, which started near the Biar hostel, led to the precautionary evacuation of nearby houses. Firefighters and aircraft were immediately deployed to tackle the flames.

Meanwhile, a little further north in Castilla-La Mancha, a fire in Valverdejo, Cuenca, has already razed 2,000 hectares. The blaze prompted the confinement of the towns of Barchín del Hoyo and Piqueras del Castillo due to potential smoke pollution.

The changing weather conditions are expected to pose challenges in the coming hours, according to the Deputy Minister for the Environment, José Almodóvar.

In other news: Expect delays and disruption as Alicante airport staff go on strike

Image: Bomberos Alicante

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