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- Wildfires across southern Spain force almost 800 to evacuate
Wildfires across southern Spain force almost 800 to evacuate
Blazes this year have shown a sizeable increase in the number of acres destroyed


Massive blazes from a growing wildfire in Estepona, Spain on Thursday have prompted almost 800 people to evacuate, local sources reported.
The wildfire, which sparked late Wednesday night, has now destroyed about 5,000 acres of the Sierra Bermeji region's forests. Estepona, a Spanish vacation destination favored by many retirees and tourists, evacuated hundreds from four communities in the town while authorities dealt with the blaze.
Although around 200 firefighters were deployed to contain the wildfire, it has not yet been extinguished, Andalusia's regional government confirmed in Reuters.
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A section of the AP-7 highway, along with many other roads, were shut down as a result of the ongoing flames.
The country is no stranger to extensive wildfires. Blazes this year have shown a sizeable increase in the number of acres destroyed, though not on par with 2012's records. Around 183,500 acres were ravaged in 2021, but 469,500 acres were scorched in 2012, marking Spain's most devastating wildfire season in the last ten years.
Environmental disasters on this vast scale could become the norm as the world attempts to tackle challenges posed by the climate crisis. According to Spain's Environment Ministry, seven of the country's hottest recorded years occurred in the last decade, Reuters reported.