Spanish firefighters battle10,000 hectares blaze

Firefighters continued to battle a blaze in the eastern coastal province of Alicante which has burned nearly 10,000 hectares and forced the evacuation of nearly 1,000 people.

There are also two other active fires in eastern Castellón province and northeastern Zaragoza province.

Personnel from Spain's Military Emergency Unit were deployed to help local firefighters in their task.

The European Forest Fire Information System says 248,674 hectares (615,000 acres) have burned in wildfires so far this year in Spain.

That's almost four times the country's average of 66,965 hectares (165,000 acres) since 2006, when records began.