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More than 500 firefighters backed by 20 planes and helicopters
were battling the fire four days after it broke out near the
village of Villanueva de Viver in Valencia region, emergency
services said.
Police had spotted 14 cyclists near the scene trying to get a
closer look, Gabriela Bravo, the regional head of interior
affairs in the Valencia region, told reporters.
"We ask once again and above all tourists not to engage in fire
tourism, not to approach the perimeter area," she said.
Spain's first major wildfire of the year has destroyed more than
4,000 hectares (9,900 acres) of forest and forced 1,700
villagers to leave their homes in the Valencia and Aragon
regions, officials said.
One firefighter slightly injured his hand as he battled the
blaze, emergency services said.
Around 200 residents from the Teruel area of Aragon were allowed
to return home on Sunday, authorities said.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was due to visit the area
on Monday, his office said.
Residents said the fire could have a devastating impact on the
local economy which depended on tourism.
"The people here live from cycling, hiking, and the few bars,"
said Jorge Grausell, 72.
"You see this and it is a disaster for anyone who likes nature."
An unusually dry winter across parts of southern Europe has
raised fears there could be a repeat of last year's devastating
wildfires.
Last year, about 785,000 hectares were destroyed in Europe, more
than double the annual average for the past 16 years, based on
European Commission statistics.
In Spain, 493 fires destroyed a record 307,000 hectares of land
last year, according to the Commission's European Forest Fire
Information System.
(Reporting by Graham Keeley, Miguel Gutierrez,; Guillermo
Martinez; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
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