Wildfire forces evacuations in western and south-western Spain

Around 600 villagers were evacuated in western Spain as a wildfire, believed to be started by arsonists, ravaged up to 8,000 hectares of woodlands near the border with Portugal. Strong winds are making it difficult to control the blaze in the densely forested areas of Las Hurdes and Sierra de Gata in the Extremadura region. The fire is being fought by 260 firefighters and 165 soldiers. The unusually dry winter across parts of southern Europe has raised the risk of wildfires.