More than 1,500 people evacuated after massive wildfire breaks out in southern Spain

The 112 emergency service coordination centre in the south of Spain has reported that more than a hundred members of Plan Infoca - the Junta de Andalucía's brigade for the extinction and prevention of forest fires - are still working in the La Peña area of Tarifa (Cadiz province ) in the early hours of this Wednesday morning, after a forest fire was declared yesterday.

The massive wildfire forced the evacuation of 1,500 people - with 94 of them relocated to the La Marina sports centre in Tarifa and an Inturjoven shelter - and the evacuation of 5,000 cars after moments of high tension.

It was around 4.58pm on Tuesday when the Junta's regional minister of the presidency Antonio Sanz announced the activation of the emergency phase in operational situation 1 in the area. The first alert reported that a caravan fire had started in a campsite next to the N-340 road at kilometre 78. According to Tarifa town hall, the fire spread due to the strong easterly wind blowing in the affected area.

Some 125 Plan Infoca professionals are deployed in the area, including forest firefighters, the Brica brigade, operations technicians, extinguishing technicians, foremen and logistics and systems unit personnel.There are also 17 aerial resources, five fire engines, a forest fire analysis and monitoring unit (Unasif), a mobile meteorology and transmissions unit (UMMT) and a forest fire medical unit (Unif).

In separate interviews with SER and Canal Sur, reported by Europa Press, Antonio Sanz explained that in the southern part of the fire - where hotels and campsites are located - the progress of tackling the blaze is "quite favourable". The regional minister praised the "good work" carried out overnight, with up to 17 aircraft deployed to address a situation of "enormous complexity" in "record" time.

However, the Junta is still urging everyone to avoid the area because "this is not the time for onlookers."

Sanz reported that the following groups of people were evacuated as a precautionary measure: those staying at the Torre de la Peña campsite; the residents of the Valdevaqueros, Casas de Porro and Casas de San Mateowere residential areas; the guests of the Punta Sur, La Torre, Tres Mares, Copacabana and Dulce Nombre hotels; and the visitors and staff of the El Tumbao and Tangana beach bars.

The N-340 road, specifically between kilometres 71 and 80 remained closed for a few hours, until it was reopened around 11.30pm. Access to the evacuated areas was not allowed.

Sanz also highlighted the "extensive resources deployed in record time" - teams that worked throughout the night. The regional minister explained that priority in the extinguishing work is given to controlling the southern part of the fire closest to the road (interface zone), where there is a greater concentration of hotels and homes. "We have had to evacuate a significant number of people and vehicles in a short time," Sanz said.

The emergency services installed two assistance points to the public - one at sports pavilion La Marina and another one at the Infoca de Fascinas facilities, in front of the Ventorrillo El Nene. An advanced command post was installed in the El Olivo restaurant, located at kilometre 74 of the N-340. In addition, the local civil protection service has set up an information telephone number for those affected by the fire: 647 731 588.