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30 June 2017, 15:31

Wildfire continues in Spain with 1,000 hectares of forest damaged

MADRID, 30 June (BelTA - Xinhua) - The wildfire which began on Wednesday evening between the cities of Valencia and Castellon on the east coast of Spain is still spreading on Friday, emergency services reported.

The disaster has destroyed around 1,000 hectares of forest and scrubland in the Sierra de la Calderona natural park, according to emergency services.

The fire is believed to have been provoked by a lightning strike and on Thursday consumed around 600 hectares of land as it was fanned by strong winds throughout the day, complicating the work of firefighters.

The Regional Authority in the Community of Valencia reported that 482 people, a mixture of local fire brigades and members of the Spanish Military Emergency Response Unit (UME) were fighting the fire on Friday morning with the aid of 67 vehicles and 23 helicopters and aircraft.

Meanwhile around 300 people spent Thursday night combatting the flames, which were in a natural beauty spot, famous for its rare cork forests.

Damage to property has so far been limited given the location of the fire away from centers of population, although Civil Guards have evacuated people from several farms in the region and one road remains closed.

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