MORE than 12,000 residents have been placed under stay-at-home orders as a huge wildfire threatens an idyllic stretch of coastline loved by Brits.
Around 440 firefighters and more than a dozen aerial units are currently working to extinguish a blaze that has scorched around 2,200 hectares of land near La Bisbal d’Emporda in Catalunya.
That includes 2,129 hectares of forest within the protected Les Gavarres natural park, 53 hectares of farmland and around 15 hectares of urban land.
Residents in seven municipalities are covered by the order to remain indoors: La Bisbal d’Emporda, Llagostera, Santa Cristina d’Aro, Forallac, Cruilles, Monells and Sant Sadurni de l’Huera, Castell d’Aro, Platja d’Aro and S’Agaro, and the popular Costa Brava holiday resort of Calonge i Sant Antoni.
Dramatic footage shared on social media shows the fire spreading towards the coast and a vast cloud of dark-orange smoke hovering over the region’s pristine beaches.
The blaze was even visible from space, with satellite footage showing a band of smoke drifting from the Catalan coast south towards the Balearic Islands.
Authorities say attempts to contain the fire are being made increasingly difficult by unpredictable sea winds, which are whipping the flames up in different directions.
They say the right flank of the fire remains the priority, as it has the potential to spread across up to 30,000 hectares if not quickly stabilised.
Fire chief David Borrell has urged the public to remain extremely cautious during the ongoing heatwave, warning that further wildfires over the weekend could quickly overwhelm emergency services.
Catalan president Salvador Illa has called on the public to listen to the relevant authorities and remain vigilant as temperatures continue to soar.
The cause of the blaze remains under investigation by the Mossos d’Esquadra.
Police officers have arrested one man who they suspect caused the fire by working with an angle grinder by the side of a road.
Elsewhere, nine people were injured in Portugal after an inferno which ignited on Wednesday continued to spread – including three firefighters who suffered minor burns.
“Our entire territory is exposed to a very high risk,” warned Portuguese prime minister Luis Montenegro, with 12 of the nation’s 18 districts currently on red alert.
Around 1,000 firefighters have been deployed to battle the flames, including 300 ground vehicles and eight planes or helicopters.
Click here to read more Spain News from The Olive Press.
