Spain wildfire forces evacuations

Madrid: Hundreds of firefighters battled a blaze in northern Spain on Sunday that forced hundreds to evacuate and devastated swathes of land, officials said.

The fire was raging in the Aragon region where around 300 firefighters are trying to contain the blaze with the help of helicopters. At least 1,500 people were evacuated from the rural region that includes a natural park in the Zaragoza province, the regional government said.

The Aragon emergency services estimate "thousands" of hectares have been destroyed by the fire. The "rapid spread" of the flames, stoked by winds, is "critical", the regional president, Javier Lamban, told media.