A forest fire in Southern Spain has forced the evacuation of hundreds of people from homes, campsites, hotels and is threatening a national park known for its biodiversity. Like much of Spain, the area near Huelva is on high alert for forest fires because of a heat wave.
Jose Fiscal, environment minister for the regional government of Andalusia, said the fire was likely to have been caused by arson, according to Spanish media.
Emergency services were combating the blaze but adverse windy conditions made it difficult to predict when the fire would be brought completely under control.
The flames have advanced westward and have entered donana national park, one of Spain's most important nature reserves and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1994.
The park, which has over 50,000 hectares of wetlands and woods, is an important stop for migratory birds from Africa and Europe and is home to a variety of animals, including the highly endangered Iberian lynx and the Iberian imperial eagle.
The fire comes a week after 64 people died in wildfires in neighbouring Portugal, which like Spain is suffering from high temperatures and lack of rain.
