Â鶹ӰÊÓ

Skip to main content

Major wildfire in Spain forces the evacuation of 1,500

A firefighter plane drops a fire retardant on a burning area of San Martin de Unx in northern Spain, Sunday, June 19, 2022. A European heat wave has caused problems with fires in Germany and Spain. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses, File) A firefighter plane drops a fire retardant on a burning area of San Martin de Unx in northern Spain, Sunday, June 19, 2022. A European heat wave has caused problems with fires in Germany and Spain. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses, File)
Share
MADRID -

A large wildfire in northeast Spain grew rapidly overnight and was burning out of control Sunday, forcing the evacuation of eight villages and 1,500 people in Zaragoza province, firefighters said.

The head of the local Aragon government, Javier Lamban, said Sunday that the situation was critical in the town of Anon de Moncayo and the priority for the 300 firefighters fighting the blaze was to protect human lives and villages.

The wildfire, which was declared Saturday, developed a 50-kilometre (31-mile) perimeter in less than 24 hours, the local forest chief said. It's estimated burned surface could be up to 8,000 hectares (20,000 acres), state news agency EFE reported.

Those who fled took shelter in three different sports centers in nearby towns.

Firefighters said the outlook for taming the blaze depends on the weather, but gusty winds up to 60 kilometres (37 m.p.h.) were predicted.

Drought and extremely high temperatures in the Mediterranean country are turning 2022 into the worst year of the century in terms of fires.

So far this year, the Spanish Ministry for Ecological Transition has registered 43 large wildfires, which are those that have burned at least 500 hectares (1,250 acres). That is four times the amount of the previous year and a record for the last decade.

The European Forest Fire Information System says 248,674 hectares (615,000 acres) have burned in wildfires so far this year in Spain. That's almost four times the country's full-year average of 66,965 hectares (165,000 acres) since 2006, when records began.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

The British Columbia election campaign is set to officially start today, with Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin issuing the writ for the Oct. 19 vote.

A northern Ontario man is facing a $12,000 fine after illegally shooting a moose near the Batchawan River.

Unusual flippered feet are making their way into the Saint Lawrence River this weekend. Led by underwater explorer and filmmaker Nathalie Lasselin, volunteer divers are combing the riverbed near Beauharnois in Montérégie to remove hundreds of tires that have been polluting the aquatic environment for decades.

A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.