'A hungry monster': strong winds power wildfire in Spain

A major wildfire in southeast Spain is prevailing over 38 water-dropping aircraft and is tearing through an area of hilly woodland for a second day

MADRID -- A major wildfire in southeast Spain prevailed over 38 water-dropping aircraft on Friday and tore through an area of hilly woodland for a second day, with one fire official describing it as “a hungry monster.” Strong winds and temperatures around 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) made the battle harder for fire crews contending with uneven terrain. The wildfire has charred more than 3,600 hectares (9,000 acres) of forest, prompting the evacuation of 1,000 people and leading to the death of a firefighter. People in some villages were told to stay indoors with their windows shut due to thick smoke that saturated the hills. “We have a hungry monster, so we’re trying at the moment to ring it off and then move in to put it out,” Alejando García, deputy head of the Andalusian regional fire service, told reporters.