The first major fire of the year has destroyed around 25 hectares of public land near Antequera.
A fire started at 15:10 on Sunday on a farm area known as La Alhajuela. Temperatures of 35 degrees combined with strong, gusting winds of 20 kph did nothing to help the firefighters as they battled to control the blaze.
The affected area was mainly grass and scrub, but the fire did also destroy some pine trees which were only planted in 2002 as part of a reforestation plan.
Firefighters and technicians, supported by helicopters and water bombers, eventually brought the blaze under control at 18:30, although some ‘hot spots’ were still being monitored and controlled to prevent fresh outbreaks.
It is thought that the fire could have originated on an area of land used by local hunters as a firing range, although the exact cause of the blaze has yet to be confirmed.