Wildfire forces 2,400 to evacuate in Spain’s Andalusia

BARCELONA, Spain – Around 2,400 people have been evacuated due to a wildfire that is out of control and ravaging Spain’s southern region of Andalusia, authorities said Sunday.

The blaze broke out on Thursday in the mountains near the town of Almonaster la Real, 120 kilometres (75 miles) northwest of the city of Seville. It has already scorched 90 square kilometres (35 square miles).

Twenty-four planes and one helicopter helped some 450 people including firefighters and army emergency personnel, who worked through Saturday night to tackle the fire.

The wind dropped during the night, making their task a little easier, but crews are struggling to access all affected areas because of the rugged ground, officials said.

A further 70 people were evacuated Saturday because of a blaze in Mula, a small town in the southeastern region of Murcia, while firefighters are also trying to extinguish two wildfires in the western region of Extremadura.