MADRID, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Around 2,000 people have had to be evacuated on Monday due to a wildfire that hit the Autonomous Community of Valencia in east Spain.
The fire, which broke out around 50 kilometers north-west of the city of Valencia has sent villagers of Chulilla, Gestalgar, Pedralba and Bugarra to be evacuated because of the threat of the advancing flames.
Over 600 people are currently combating the fire, among them firemen and members of Spain's Emergency Military Unit (UME), with the help of a total of 31 planes and helicopters.
However, fire-fighting has been made more difficult by strong gusts of wind in the region, while the smoke and dust has led to eight small roads being closed to the public.
Authorities are optimistic that the arrival of cooler weather from the north-west will see a fall in temperatures and a reduction in wind-speeds, while there is also the possibility of some rain falling in the afternoon.
Over 170,000 hectares of countryside have been destroyed by over 4,000 different fires this summer, which over 370 people have been arrested for either deliberately causing fires or by provoking them by carelessness.
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