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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Sam Jones in Madrid

Villages evacuated as ‘very large’ wildfire ravages south-west Spain

Firefighters trying to extinguish a fire in the Sierra de Gata area of Extremadura on Thursday
Firefighters trying to extinguish a fire in the Sierra de Gata area of Extremadura on Thursday. Photograph: Spanish defence ministry/EPA

Hundreds of civilian and military firefighters are tackling a wildfire in south-west Spain that has burned across at least 7,500 hectares (18,500 acres) of land and forced the evacuation of more than 500 people since it began on Wednesday evening.

Efforts to fight the “very large and difficult” fire in the Las Hurdes and Sierra de Gata areas of northern Extremadura are being hindered by strong winds, according to the regional government, which says the blaze was started deliberately.

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