ARCHIVED - Alicante fire destroys 6,500 hectares of land and forces the evacuation of several villages
The Vall d’Ebo wildfire in Alicante is spreading in several different directions
More than 1,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in Vall d’Ebo and its surrounds after a lightening strike reportedly ignited the forest in the early hours of Sunday morning, August 14. Around 6,500 hectares of land have already been scorched as firefighters battle to bring the huge blaze under control.
Several more Alicante municipalities are under caution as a stiff wind threatens to fan the flames even further. Having already stretched out over 50 kilometres, the fire is now advancing in several directions: the southeast flank is heading towards Tollos and Castell de Castells, through the Malafí ravine, already slightly affecting one end of the El Comtat region.
At lunch time on Monday August 15, the Guardia Civil began moving people from houses near La Carroja as a precaution, while the Vall de Gallinera City Council has warned residents of the towns located further west to be prepared for a possible evacuation.
"It is not planned at the moment, but it may be the case and we need people to be prepared to be able to do it urgently if necessary," a spokesperson said earlier today.
Overnight, around 50 men, women and children were moved from Benialí and Benirrama, two of the towns that make up the municipality of Vall de Gallinera, as well as from several urbanisations in the town of l'Atzúbia.
The towns of Alcalà de la Jovada and Beniaia have also been emptied as a precaution.
More than 300 firefighters are currently tackling the blaze which has resulted in the closure of two roads: the CV-700, from l'Atzúbia to the Vall de Gallinera, and the CV-712, between Alcalà de la Jovada and the Vall d'Ebo.
The column of smoke generated by the fire is enormous, to the point of being visible from the A-7 motorway between Ibi and Alcoy, several kilometres away.
Less than a week ago, another huge blaze destroyed a large palm grove and threatened numerous homes in Camino de Enmedio in Orihuela.
Image: Bombers Dipcas
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