300 Fire Fighters Battling Mijas Blaze

300 Fire Fighters Battling Mijas Blaze. The fire which began in Sierra de Mijas yesterday is continuing to spread as 300 fire fighters battle the blaze.

300 Fire Fighters Battling Mijas Blaze

300 people are now involved in the fight against the fire which broke out near Mijas on Friday, and quickly spread inland towards Alhaurin. 200 are from Infoca and 100 are from provincial teams with specialist skills. Yesterday 2300 residents were evacuated from Alhaurin De La Torre and Alhaurin El Grande. Today another 300 people have been forced to leave their homes by the advancing inferno.

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The blaze seen approaching La Alqueria overnight. Photo by Elena Brennan.

Spreading Twice As Fast As Sierra Bermeja Blaze

The fire is spreading at a speed of 50 metres per minute, almost double the speed of the Sierra Bermeja fire earlier this year. At times the flames have reached heights of 20 metres. Efforts to stop the fire are being made difficult by the types of vegetation and trees. The dense pine trees prevent water being dropped by the helicopters from reaching the fire at ground level. The pine cones catch fire and explode like small rockets which causes the fire to spread even more rapidly.

There are 15 aircraft and more than 300 crew on the ground fighting this fire. Elias Bendodo is the Junta de Andalucia’s spokesman, he says “We have mobilised all possible means to try stop the fire evolving badly. We have to try to suffocate it.”

Published: 16.07.2022

Written by Dave James