Spain tells ‘fire tourists’ to stay away from fires

Officials urged ‘fire tourists’ to keep away from blazes raging in eastern Spain on Sunday, saying onlookers were putting themselves at risk and disrupting efforts to quell the flames. 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, 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.