MADRID (Reuters) - A forest fire stretching 8 km (5 miles) at its widest point has forced thousands of people to flee their homes in the eastern Spanish region of Murcia.
The fire, whipped up by strong winds and high summer temperatures, is out of control and has devastated a large area of the Calblanque natural park, on the coast to the east of the historic city of Cartagena.
About 2,500 residents from the town of Portman have been evacuated.