Firefighters battling huge wildfire in Castellon
Firefighters battling huge wildfire in Castellon
29 August 2007
published by www.expatica.com
Spain — Over 300 firefighters battled a wildfire in northeastern Spain on Wednesday amid scorching temperatures, officials said.
The firefighters were backed by four waterbombers and two helicopters in their efforts to put out the blaze which broke out in the province of Castellon on Tuesday, the environment ministry said in a statement.
The blaze has so far burned some 1,500 hectares (3,700 acres) of scrub and farmland, a councilman with the regional government of Valencia, Serafin Castellano, told reporters after touring the affected area.
Thirty-three people who were evacuated on Tuesday night as a precaution have since been allowed to return home, private radio Cadena Ser reported.
Local officials said they believe the fire, which broke out near the town of Les Useres, was set off by sparks set off by a crew that was working to repair an electrical line in the area.
Temperatures in Valencia are forecast to reach highs of up to 39 degrees Celsius (102 Fahrenheit) on Wednesday, the national weather office said.
The government of Valencia put the region on its highest level of alert for forest fires because of the heat.
