- Title: Drone video shows devastation from wildfires in eastern Spain
- Date: 26th March 2023
- Summary: SAN AGUSTIN, SPAIN (MARCH 26, 2023) (REUTERS) (PART MUTE) VARIOUS OF DRONE SHOTS OF RUBBLE AND BURNT LAND (MUTE) VARIOUS OF DRONE SHOTS OF BURNT TREES AND LAND (MUTE) EMERGENCY SERVICES PERSONNEL GATHERED RESIDENTS WALKING INTO THE PLAYGROUND VARIOUS OF EMERGENCY SERVICES HANDING OUT FOOD AND WATER TO RESIDENTS RESIDENT, SAYING (Spanish): "Now we have our dinner and our lunch." VARIOUS OF CARS LINED UP VIEW OF HILLSIDE FIRE BURNING IN FOREST VARIOUS OF CHARRED TREES OVERTURNED BARRELL ON CHARRED LAND VARIOUS OF SIGN READING "PROVINCIA DE CASTELLON" MEMBERS OF THE GUARDIA CIVIL ON ROAD PINA DE MONTALGRAO, SPAIN (MARCH 26, 2023) (REUTERS) FIRE BURNING AND SMOKE RISING FROM TREES SMOKE RISING FROM HILLS GOATS STANDING ON ROCKS AND WALKING OFF
- Embargoed: 9th April 2023 20:21
- Keywords: Spain destruction forest wildfires
- Location: SAN AGUSTIN AND PINA DE MONTALGRAO, SPAIN
- City: SAN AGUSTIN AND PINA DE MONTALGRAO, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Disaster/Accidents,Europe,Fires
- Reuters ID: LVA001040626032023RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Drone video on Sunday (March 26) showed devastation in forests in eastern Spain after wildfires broke out four days before.
Officials told "fire tourists" to keep away from raging blazes, saying onlookers were putting themselves at risk and disrupting efforts to quell the flames.
More than 500 firefighters backed by 20 planes and helicopters were battling the fire four days after it broke out near the village of Villanueva de Viver in Valencia region, emergency services said.
Spain's first major wildfire of the year has destroyed more than 4,000 hectares (9,900 acres) of forest and forced 1,700 villagers to leave their homes in the Valencia and Aragon regions, officials said.
Around 200 residents from the Teruel area of Aragon were allowed to return home on Sunday, authorities said.
Residents in the town of San Agustin collected food and water handed out by members of the Guardia Civil.
An unusually dry winter across parts of southern Europe has raised fears there could be a repeat of last year's devastating wildfires.
Last year, about 785,000 hectares were destroyed in Europe, more than double the annual average for the past 16 years, based on European Commission statistics.
In Spain, 493 fires destroyed a record 307,000 hectares of land last year, according to the Commission's European Forest Fire Information System.
(Production: Guillermo Martinez, Mindy Burrows) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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