Charlie SmithA HUGE blaze on the Costa del Sol is still raging, despite almost 100 firefighters originally being dispatched to tackle it.
The fire in Manilva has now been stabilised and around 50 bomberos and two fire engines remain in the area.
Around 40 people at the Martagina urbanization have been evicted from their homes, according to the Junta.
A statement by INFOCA (Andalucia’s forest firefighting department) said that the extinction efforts ‘do not require air support at this time’.
The fire is believed to have broken out near the Aldea Hills urbanization at around 8:35pm yesterday.
The flames and thick black smoke could be seen from miles around and as far away as Estepona.
The AP-7 had been closed to traffic between kilometres 133 and 154 and the Guardia Civil had restricted access
The road is now open to normal traffic, according to Emergencies 112.
No one is believed to have been injured in the fire, however their have been reports of minor smoke inhalation near to the affected area.
There were also reports online that horses travelling in a lorry and in a horse box being towed by a car needed to visit the equine hospital.
British holidaymaker Paul Neal, 57, from Coventry, was enjoying a stroll on the paseo in Estepona with his wife when he spotted the blaze.
“We were walking back to our apartment after a meal out in Estepona when we noticed that the whole of the hillside behind the town was on fire,” he told the Olive Press.
“There was a plume of smoke drifting over the skyline towards Gibraltar, it looked like quite a large area was on fire.”
‘Stabilised’ means that the fire has no advancing fronts and that the conditions for its extinction are favourable.
A statement by Proteccion Civil Manilva said: “At this time we can inform you that the fire in the north part of Manilva is stabilised although not extinct.”
The cause of the fire is not yet known.
