Spain: firefighter dies in forest fire

Hundreds of firefighters fought a forest fire in Andalusia during the night. The fire destroyed more than 3,600 hectares and people had to be brought to safety in emergency shelters. A firefighter died.

A firefighter was killed fighting a forest fire in Andalusia in southern Spain. The 44-year-old had fought against the flames near the port city of Estepona on the Costa del Sol together with around 300 other emergency services, the authorities said on Twitter. More than 20 helicopters and fire-fighting planes were also used.

More than 1000 people have to leave their homes

The fire in the province of Malaga has already destroyed more than 3,600 hectares of forest, reported the state TV broadcaster RTVE. The fire is fanned again and again by strong winds. More than 1000 residents of the city of Estepona and three other municipalities had to leave their homes because of the approaching flames and were placed in emergency shelters.

The AP-7 motorway, which is also busy with tourists in the summer, and two country roads had to be closed because of the thick smoke, it said.

Authorities assume arson

The cause of the fire is not yet known; presumably it is arson. Estepona Mayor José Garcia Urbano said investigators did not rule out arson given the fire started in two places in a mountain range. “It’s very suspicious,” said Urbano on TVE.

Spain has been spared from serious forest fires like in Greece, Italy and Turkey this year. By mid-August, however, the Ministry of the Environment registered almost 6000 smaller and larger forest, bush and grassland fires across the country on an area totaling 46,600 hectares.