At least 14 die fighting Spanish forest fires

At least 14 Spanish firefighters have died trying to control a forest fire that destroyed about 12,000 acres of woodland and …

At least 14 Spanish firefighters have died trying to control a forest fire that destroyed about 12,000 acres of woodland and forced hundreds of people to evacuate their villages.

The forest fire has killed at least 14 fire fighters and destroyed acres of woodland
The forest fire has killed at least 14 fire fighters and destroyed acres of woodland

The 14 went out in two groups to try to bring the fire under control in the central province of Guadalajara, an Interior Ministry spokesman said.

Police fear at least one more person may have died. An woman in the affected town of Luzon told Spanish National Television that one of the firefighters' two lorries was found burned out.

The fire began on Saturday afternoon in the Cueva de los Casares natural park. It was still raging out of control last night. Police said sparks from a barbecue that had not been fully extinguished had caused the fire.

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The blaze had so far charred an estimated 12,000 acres of pine woodland. It was raging on two fronts, aided by blustery winds and summer temperatures of up to 40 degrees.

Spain suffering its worst drought since records began in the late 1940s. Some 400 residents from four villages in the area of the fire were evacuated, although many returned to their homes yesterday.

Elsewhere in Spain, six people suffered light burns and more than 2,500 acres of woodland were destroyed in the north-western province of Zamora on Saturday.

AP