The 2016 Benidorm Forest Fire was a forest fire which occurred in early September 2016 near Javéa and Benitachell outside of Benidorm, burnt more than 800 hectares and destroyed at least twenty homes in the surrounding area. Authorities later stated it was likely to have been started deliberately.
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Cause
Although the fire started on one of the hottest recorded days of the year, multiple news outlets reported the possibility of arson attacks, and Valencia emergency service officials stated concerns that the fire could have been started deliberately.
Response
Officials at the time stated more than 200 firefighters had to be deployed to tackle the fire, supported by firefighting aircraft and military units.
Evacuations
More than 800 hectares burnt, and at least twenty homes were destroyed. Due to the severity of the fire and the speed with which it spread, more than 1000 people were evacuated from the Javéa area.