Spain evacuates 2,000 people as crews race to check wildfire

Firefighters walk in the area of a wildfire in Pujerra, Malaga (Alex Zea, Europa Press via AP)

Emergency agencies deployed almost 1,000 firefighters, military personnel and support crews on Thursday to fight a wildfire in southern Spain that has forced the evacuation of some 2,000 people amid fears that torrid weather may feed the blaze.

Authorities raced against the clock in the dry, hilly area of Andalucia as Spain’s AEMET weather service said the country could be on the verge of a heatwave.