Wildfire rages in Gandia: 3,000 evacuated from homes

Around 20 houses were burned and several roads have been closed around Llutxent and Gandia and firefighters battle to contain the blaze that remains out of control for the third day.

Diana Morant Ripoll. the mayor of Gandia, warned that the fires appeared "as intense ad virulent as those we have seen on the television in Greece" and said that therefore, the decision had been made to evacuate nearby homes. 

"the decision to evacuate two urbanizations in Gandia has probably saved many lives," she said. 

Residents were evacuated from their homes in La Drova (Barx), La Rochera, Montepino and Montesol, all urbanizations around Gandia as a precautionary measure on Monday night as flames encroached.

Further evacuations took place around Pinet during Tuesday night.

José María Ángel, the head of emergency response for Valencia region said on Tuesday that emergency services were at crisis point after 11 wildfires had broken out across the region in just one day.

Authorities said that a 600-strong team of firefighters and army response were attempting to control the blaze supported by 27 water carrying aircraft.

An estimated 2,600 hectares of forest and agricultural land had already been destroyed by Wednesday morning, said La Generalitat.

READ MORE: Heatwave: Death toll in Spain rises to nine