OVIEDO: A wildfire in the Spanish province of Zaragoza triggered the evacuation of some 1,500 residents on Saturday and Sunday, while hundreds more are on standby to leave their homes, reported Anadolu Agency.
As of Sunday evening, authorities were most worried that the fire would jump into the Moncayo Natural Park, which is full of combustible vegetation and unique biodiversity.
“I can only say this is a critical situation,” Javier Lamban, president of the regional government, told reporters.
The fire has a radius of around 50 kilometres and has already scorched an estimated 8,000 hectares of land and forest since Saturday.
Strong wind gusts of up to 60 kilometres per hour have complicated the situation.
“Overnight, the behaviour of the fire was extremely violent, something we aren’t used to,” said Diego Bayona, head of the region’s environmental agency
Local residents reported that flames have already touched the walls of the Veruela Monastery, which was evacuated on Saturday.
Also in the area is the Sanctuary of Mercy church in Borja, home to the Ecce Homo fresco that was made famous by a botched restoration by an amateur artist.
Further south in Spain, another wildfire is burning out of control in Vall d’Ebo in Alicante.
Around 1,000 people have been forced to evacuate the area and the blaze has consumed an estimated 3,500 hectares.
The dry and hot weather that has defined Spain’s summer so far has given rise to what is set to be the worst wildfire season since at least 1994. - Bernama
