disaster
The blaze spread rapidly, affecting Coín, Alhaurín el Grande, Mijas, Monda, Ojén and Marbella
07.09.12 - 11:27 -
The fire, taken from the other side of Marbella. Brian Parker
The last official count put the extent of the damage to the countryside at more than 8,200 hectares across six different municipalities: Coín, Alhaurín el Grande, Monda, Mijas, Ojén and Marbella. After starting in the Barranco Blanco area of Coín the flames divided into three fronts, one threatening Mijas and Marbella, another surrounding the starting point (Coín and Alhaurín) and the third, the most serious, spreading towards Ojén and Monda.
Some 25 aircraft, including firefighting planes and helicopters, were involved in the operation along with more than a thousand firefighters on the ground at the same time from the forest fire unit Infoca, the Military Emergency Unit and the provincial fire consortium.
The blaze was considered controlled by 6.30 p.m. on Sunday and was officially announced as extinguished on Tuesday morning.
Of the total of 8,225 hectares, it is calculated that 7,175 were forest land while the remainder was classed as urban and farmland.
While the official evaluation of fire damage is still incomplete authorities at a meeting on Tuesday said that around 87 homes had been affected by the fire and approximately half of these had been seriously damaged or completely destroyed. At least 21 vehicles were burnt out.
Dozens of wild and domestic animals perished in the blaze and rural roads and water and electricity infrastructure were damaged, explained the central government representative, Jorge Hernández Mollar, at the meeting that was attended by representatives of the Junta de Andalucía and local Town Halls.
