Spanish wildfire that has forced hundreds of Britons to flee their villas is declared 'environmental terrorism' as it is revealed several blazes were started simultaneously

A Spanish wildfire that has forced hundreds of Britons to flee from their villas has been declared 'environmental terrorism' after it was revealed several blazes were started at the same time.

Emergency crews ordered a mass evacuation after a wildfire fuelled by intense heat roared through brush surrounding Javea, a popular tourist resort on Spain's Costa Blanca.

The blaze, which destroyed 790 acres of land and several buildings, was started deliberately and appeared to have broken out in several places at once, authorities say.

'This is environmental terrorism, it goes beyond putting at risk our natural heritage, it directly attacks people,' the head of the regional government of Valencia, Ximo Puig, told reporters.

'1,400 evacuated,' tweeted Juan Carlos Moragues, who represents the Spanish government in the eastern region of Valencia.

While many of the evacuees were put up in schools, residents of Javea also offered to put them up for the night and gave them food and water, city councillor Maria del Pilar Zamora told private television channel Antena 3.

Photos and videos posted on social media showed flames raging earlier near built up areas.

Several homes were completely destroyed by the fire, Antena 3 reported.