Another wildfire near Tarifa triggers emergency response 

Another wildfire broke out near Tarifa on Monday afternoon, forcing evacuations and causing disruption less than a week after the last major summer blaze on the popular stretch of coastline. 

The fire started at around 2pm in the Sierra de la Plata, close to Punta Camarinal between the busy beach at Bolonia and nearby Playa de los Alemanas. 

Spain’s wildfire response mechanism, Plan Infoca, deployed significant resources to bring the fire under control. 

A total of 14 helicopters and amphibious planes dropped water on the fire as teams from Tarifa and Algeciras, supported by firefighters from Chiclana, Benalup and Cadiz, worked on the ground below. 

Nearby homes and resorts, including Atlanterra close to Playa de los Alemanes, were evacuated as a precautionary measure, with traffic diversions also in place. 

Other residents in the area who had not been ordered to evacuate were asked to keep their windows and doors closed as strong levanter winds of up to 50km per hour fanned smoke and flames toward the coastline. 

By early evening, a level one emergency response had been triggered. 

“This level is activated in the case of fires which, although they can be brought under control with the ordinary means and resources available to the Andalusian regional government, are considered, due to their potential evolution, to require the implementation of measures for the protection of people and property,” the Junta de Andalucia said in a statement. 

Last week, a fire believed to have started in a caravan forced the precautionary evacuation of the Torre de la Peña II campsite.