Hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes after a major forest fire raged in Spain’s eastern Castellon region – marking an unusually early start to the nation’s wildfire season.

The blaze engulfed around 1,000 hectares of land since it broke out on Thursday amid bone-dry conditions.

Emergency services attended the areas affected by the fire and said 600 people in eight towns have been evacuated, including a home for older people in Montan.

On Friday morning, four helicopters and more than 600 firefighters and soldiers were still tackling the fire, while the Spanish military deployed additional support in efforts to bring it under control.

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Ximo Puig, the president of the Valencia region that incorporates Castellon, told reporters that the fire was “very early in the spring, very voracious from the beginning”.

He added that the effects of climate change “are undeniable, so the perspective of firefighting must be considered on an annual basis”.

AEMET, the state weather agency, tweeted that “unfavourable weather conditions, especially considering the early date of the year, have favoured the [fire’s] rapid spread”.

Temperatures had surpassed 25C when the fire broke out, while relative humidity sank below 30% following an unusually dry winter in the region.

The risk of more fires in Castellon was classified as “extreme” on Friday.

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When is Spain’s wildfire season?

Spain’s peak fire season usually starts in mid-June and lasts for up to 23 weeks.

Between 28 March 2022 and 20 March 2023, there were 577 VIIRS fire alerts reported – which is normal compared to previous years going back to 2012.

Some 400,000 wildfires have occurred in Spain over the last 30 years.

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