Two fires in Málaga province have so far destroyed more than 100 hectares of land as firefighters, with air support, battle to control and extinguish the blazes.
Late on Tuesday, a fire began in the La Robla area of Casarabonela, destroying 70 hectares of land and threatening homes in the area. Four homes have had to be evacuated.
The firefighting force was reinforced by units from Ronda and Colmenar and during the daylight hours, eight helicopters and four amphibious water bombers were involved in the operation. During the night, more firefighters were needed as the aircraft were unable to fly.
The fire is now under control but still burning.
Marbella, which hadn’t had a serious fire for several years, was also the scene of much activity as fire broke out in the Arroyo de los Monjes in the Sierra Blanca. The area is uninhabited and there was no need for evacuations.
The difficult terrain and high winds hampered the efforts of the firefighters and much reliance had to be placed on airborne assistance. Three large helicopters and five cargo planes helped the ground forces to eventually control the blaze. Around 30 hectares of land have been destroyed.