Wildfire affects southern Spain tourist area towns

MADRID (AP) -- Spanish officials say some 4,000 people have been evacuated from their houses as a wildfire abetted by strong winds spread rapidly through hills around the popular southern tourist city of Marbella.

Regional Interior Ministry official Jose Luis Ruiz Espejo said the fire started early Friday outside the town of Coin. Nearly all residents of the nearby town of Ojen were evacuated and given shelter in sports centers in the coastal resort city of Marbella.

Ruiz Espejo said firefighters suspect arson and they hope to bring the blaze under control by the end of the day.

Speaking on Cadena SER radio, Ruiz Espejo said two people were injured, one seriously.

Spain has seen 1,500 square kilometers (580 square miles) of land burnt in nearly 12,000 wildfires this year.

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