UPDATE: Firefighters draft in reinforcements to STABILISE wildfire

THE wildfire which has ripped through the northern Costa Blanca has been stabilised, according to the latest reports.

It comes after reinforcements were called in to help tackle the devastating blaze.

An additional four planes and helicopters joined the 27 drones which have been working through the night to contain the blaze before it reached the resort town of Gandia.

An emergency meeting of all units involved in battling the blaze met this morning to monitor the evolution of the fire and re-coordinate measures to bring it to an end.

Latest reports claim 3,000 hectares of wood and scrubland has been turned to ashes, 2,620 people have been evacuated 40 homes destroyed.

A fire brigade spokesperson warned of a rise in humidity this afternoon, adding that services were waiting to see what affect this has on the flames.

Yesterrday afternoon (Wednesday) saw winds fanning the flames turning northbound, threatening Gandia, but this morning it did not progress that far.

The fire, which started in the early hours of Monday, was fought by more than 700 emergency personnel on the ground and as of today, 31 air assets.

Firefighters were mobilised from Valencia, Castellon and Alicante.

The 2,500 people evacuated from Llutxent have still not been allowed to see if they have a home to return to, and the 120 evacuees from the municipal districts of Gandia, Llutxent, Pinet, Ador, Barx and Quatretonda are in the same position.

The fire is thought to have been started by a lightning strike.

El viento giró bruscamente a norte. #IFlLlutxent, la ciudad que se ve debajo es Gandia. Vídeo grabado hace 5 minutos pic.twitter.com/c8JjtzVzWy

— AEMET_C. Valenciana (@AEMET_CValencia) August 7, 2018

@AEMET_CValencia via Twitter