Wildfires claim lives of two firefighters in Spain

Madrid: A Spanish emergency service official says two firefighters have died from injuries sustained in battling a wildfire in the eastern province of Alicante while hundreds were evacuated by boat to escape a fire raging on the Canary Island of La Gomera.

A spokesman said one firefighter died Monday in an Alicante city hospital while another died there Sunday. Two other crew members were being treated in the hospital. He spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with service regulations.

Nearly 1,000 people were evacuated by boat from the town of Valle Gran Rey on La Gomera, located off the northwest coast of Africa, as authorities feared fires in surrounding hills could engulf the town.

Some 5,000 people were evacuated from towns on La Gomera and neighboring Tenerife over the weekend.