John Culatto
FIREFIGHTERS from Spain’s Andalucia are finally in control of the bush fire near the Santa Margarita residential complex 15km north of Gibraltar.
The blaze started in an undeveloped plot of land in the La Linea urbanisation Tuesday and quickly spread as far as Venta Melchor and El Burgo beach.
Six groups of Cadiz firefighters used two water-carrying planes, three helicopters and two fire trucks to put out the flames
They report the fire has charred an estimated 150 hectares of countryside and urban areas.
Various residents chose to evacuate themselves from the Venta Melchor area after the westerly wind fanned the flames in that direction.
Authorities had hoped that the main front heading toward El Burgo beach would extinguish itself at the popular seaside location.
So far the fire has burned scrubland, forested areas and some gardens without damaging homes or causing injuries.
Residents in nearby Alcaidesa feared the flames would reach their residential area after plumes of smoke engulfed the area.
It followed a similar blazes in 2017 and 2021 that came within metres of the Alcaidesa community.
But a well-equipped firefighting team complete with bulldozers, technical experts and Plan Infoca aid were soon able to bring the flames under control.
Planes and helicopters picked up the water from the sea and the Charco Redondo lake in Los Barrios to deal with the incident.
The 112 emergency service received more than 90 calls during the first hours of the blaze.
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