Forest fire above Mijas closes roads and forces evacuations

Ground and air resources have been working since early this morning to extinguish a forest fire which broke out early this morning in the Sierra de Mijas and which has forced the A-387 road to be closed between kilometres 0 and 9.5 in both directions and to evacuate 100 residents of theVenta del Conde and the Valtocado urbanisation, some of whom have required medical assistance as they have been affected by smoke inhalation.

The wind, with gusts reaching peaks of up to 60 kilometres per hour and sustained gusts of 30, has become the main obstacle to fighting the forest fire, although almost 200 troops are working to extinguish the blaze

The delegate of the Andalucian Government in Malaga, Patricia Navarro, in statements to the media along with the Mayor of Mijas, Ana Mata, said, “we are acting very early”. They assured everyone that work continues in the area and that the first warnings about the fire took place at 4am, and that the Junta decreed the Infoca level 1 at 7.44am.

The Advanced Command Post (PMA) has been installed in a place very close to the sports centre of Osunillas where the evacuated residents are being housed. The Junta said that Infoca has deployed 9 groups of forest firefighters; 2 from Malaga and Granada); 4 fire engines; 2 helicopters and, in total ,more than 90 forest firefighters.

Mijas’ new Mayor, Ana Mata, thanked the hotels in the area for having contacted the Town Hall to offer rooms if necessary. “We are going to take it step by step. Coordination is fundamental and we are here one hundred per cent to attend to the residents who are currently outside their homes and inform them of when they will be able to return.