Wildfire rages amid strong winds in Valencia forcing evacuations of hundreds

Strong winds fanned a wildfire that raged near the coastal town of Gandia in Valencia on Thursday, 2 November, forcing the evacuation of at least 350 people according to authorities.

The wind hampered efforts to tackle the blaze from the air, with more than 34 crews deployed to extinguish the fire near the village of Montichelvo, emergency services said.

Firefighters from the entire region have been drafted in to help and assistance has been requested from the Military Emergency Unit, Valencia’s regional government said.