Chaos as Benidorm holiday hotspot evacuated | World | News
A popular zoo and aqua park in a Spanish resort town popular with Brits has had to be evacuated because of a forest fire.
Terra Natura Benidorm was cleared as a precaution on Saturday afternoon after the fire broke out near the AP-7 motorway.
The motorway had to be shut and the electricity supply in the area was closed down as firefighters tackled the flames from the ground assisted by helicopters and planes.
Video footage taken by tourists on the beach in Benidorm showed plumes of black smoke in the sky above hotels and other buildings near the seafront.
Other holidaymakers posted pictures and videos showing the Terra Natura evacuation, with one saying: “They ordered us out of the water park because of the fire.”
An emergency response coordination centre confirmed that just after 6pm yesterday, the blaze was being tackled on the ground and from the air.
It added: “The closure of the AP-7 in the direction of Valencia has been requested along with the shut-down of the electricity supply in the area.”
Around 7.30pm three government planes were among the aircraft being deployed as part of the land and air response.
The blaze was stabilised around 9.30pm.
This morning in an update on X, formerly Twitter, local firefighters said: “After many hours of effort last night around 9.30pm we were able to stabilise the Benidorm fire.
“The evolution of the extinction work during the night has been favourable.”
Spanish state broadcaster TVE, reporting on the forest fire after it sparked the activation of Level One of the Special Forest Fire Plan, said: “It started beside the AP-7 motorway and less than two kilometres from Benidorm when it is full of tourists because it is peak season.”
Terra Natura is described online as a leisure park for the whole family and all ages.
There are 1,500 animals belonging to 200 different species, 54 of which are endangered.
In the summer months, it also has a water park, Aqua Natura, which complements the visit to the animal park with fun attractions and water-related activities.
