A forest fire in Castrocontrigo in León, thought to have been started intentionally, continues to burn out of control and has already destroyed 10,000 hectares of land, mainly pine trees.
The fire is the worst in Castilla y León for ten years and has caused hundreds of residents to voluntarily leave their homes as the flames approached. Residents of a number of towns and villages have been evacuated as a precautionary measure.
Over 300 civilians, 443 members of the Military Emergency Unit (UME) and twenty aircraft have been battling the blaze which, in the district of La Bañeza, covers a 15 kilometre front.
The destruction is such that the authorities fear that many people involved in the areas of resin production, timber, livestock, hunting and tourism will be forced to move away in search of an alternative livelihood.