06-08-2025
- Climate
- Irish Daily Mirror
Spain hotels and bars evacuated as fast moving wildfire nears beach resorts
Tourists and residents have been evacuated from beach resorts in southern Spain after a fast-moving wildfire broke out near the popular town of Tarifa in the Cadiz province of Andalusia.
The fire, which began around 4pm Tuesday in a motorhome at the Torre de la Pena campsite, has rapidly spread through dry, hilly terrain, threatening homes, campsites and tourist hotspots. Strong winds have fanned the flames, sending thick black smoke over nearby beaches and forcing the closure of the N-340 highway between Las Pinas and Pedro Valiente.
Emergency crews, including five helicopters, two water-carrying planes, a coordination aircraft and multiple ground teams, are battling the blaze, Mirror UK reports. Several caravans have already been destroyed, and businesses such as the Wawa Hotel and local beach bars - known as chiringuitos - have been evacuated.
No injuries have been reported by authorities so far. Tarifa Mayor Jose Antonio Santos told national channel La Sexta that the blaze is "the fastest-spreading fire I've ever seen", describing the event as "unprecedented" for the region.
Restaurants and hotels have been evacuated in the approximate 3km between La Pena and Casas de Porros, local newspaper Europa Sur reported. A fire has taken hold in Cadiz, southern Spain (Image: @X)
Warning messages have been sent to beachgoers and Algeciras Mayor José Ignacio Landaluce has pledged resources to support the emergency response. Residents are being urged to avoid the area, especially as access roads remain closed.
The fire is dangerously close to the Estrecho Natural Park, and efforts are underway to protect nearby communities, including Valdevaqueros. INFOCA, the Andalusian wildfire response agency, is leading coordination efforts on the ground.
Operations at Gibraltar Airport - the closest airport just 48km miles away - are currently unaffected, with all scheduled flights on time.
This latest fire follows a string of wildfires across the Iberian Peninsula, including a major blaze near Madrid last month. Officials across Spain and Portugal remain on high alert as extreme summer heat and dry conditions continue to pose a serious wildfire risk.
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