Wildfire forces evacuation around Spain’s Costa Blanca

More than 1,000 residents and tourists have been forced from their homes, villas and hotels along one of Spain’s most popular tourist coastlines as wildfire rages around the eastern Costa Blanca resorts.

Authorities believe that the three fires causing havoc may have been started deliberately on Sunday afternoon.

Fuelled by the intense heat and strong winds, these fires quickly roared through the dry brush lands surrounding the resort.

Buildings in the town of Javea and other areas up the coast from Benidorm have been destroyed. Emergency services, backed by aircraft and military units, fought the flames through Sunday night and for much of Monday and the fires are now largely under control.

Jose Maria Angel, the head of the emergency Response and Security Agency,  told reporters that aircraft were dropping water every four minutes.

About 1,400 people were forced to seek shelter but many have now been able to return to their properties to survey the damage.

Temperatures have been up about 40C and are expected to remain high in the coming days. The strong and gusty winds are expected to ease, however.