Firefighters battled a wildfire Wednesday near the southern Spanish tourist town of Tarifa, where more than 1,500 people had to be evacuated as shifting winds hampered efforts to control the blaze.
Although fire crews managed to secure areas near hotels and tourist accommodation, the fire remained active and uncontained, said officials.
“What concerns us most right now is the wind — whether it shifts between the west and east,” said Antonio Sanz, interior minister for Andalusia’s regional government.
The wildfire broke out Tuesday afternoon near La Peña, a wooded area close to a beach just outside Tarifa. The town of about 19,000 residents on Spain’s southernmost coast, is known for its strong winds, which draw kite- and windsurfers.
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Spanish public broadcaster TVE reported that the fire had started in a camper van at a local campsite, with strong winds spreading the blaze quickly.
The fire forced the evacuation of 1,550 people from campsites, hotels, and homes, as well as about 5,000 vehicles, mostly belonging to beachgoers, said Sanz.
Emergency crews worked overnight to prevent the fire from reaching coastal resorts, but residents and tourists evacuated have not yet been allowed to return, he added.
Spain is currently experiencing a heatwave, with temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius in many regions.
Civil protection authorities have warned that wildfire risk remains “very high” or “extreme” across much of the country.
