Early-morning wildfire near Torrox residential blocks brought under control

The fire has destroyed an estimated area of 3.5 hectares of scrubland and low woodland, equivalent to five medium-sized football pitches.

The provincial fire service, the Infoca team and the Local Police brought the fire under control at 7.30am. Despite the flames' proximity to buildings, there were no injuries or evacuations, nor have sources reported any damage to property.

While the fire was ravaging the area near their homes, the residents watched with concern as the emergency services worked through the night.

"The fire came very close to the houses. Thank goodness the fire brigade and the police arrived quickly. They did a great job," a local resident told Sur on Tuesday. The rapid response by the fire services was crucial in preventing more serious consequences.

The operation continued throughout the early hours of the morning, until the emergency teams on the ground managed to secure the perimeter. In total, around eight hours elapsed between the outbreak of the fire and confirmation that it was under control.

Mayor of Torrox Óscar Medina highlighted the speed of the response and the coordination between the various services involved in the operation. He expressed particular gratitude for the intervention of the provincial fire service personnel from the stations in Nerja and Vélez-Málaga, as well as the staff from the Andalusian regional government's Infoca plan.

Medina also acknowledged the work of the Local Police, who remained in the area from the start of the fire to assist with the operation, ensure the safety of residents and facilitate the work of the emergency services. The collaboration between the various services made it possible to contain the flames before they reached the nearest buildings.

Although the fire was already under control early on Tuesday morning, the emergency services continued to work on the ground throughout the day to eliminate any potential hotspots and prevent the fire from reigniting.

The town hall has asked residents and visitors to take extreme precautions and avoid unnecessary travel near the affected area while the operation remains active. The fact that the fire is under control does not mean it has been completely extinguished. Work must continue until it is guaranteed that there are no remaining hotspots capable of reigniting the flames.

The cause of the incident remains under investigation. There is no conclusive evidence to suggest that the fire was started deliberately, so this hypothesis should be regarded merely as one of several possibilities.

This is not the first time that the Calaceite area has been affected by a bushfire. In August 2020, another fire that broke out in this same area burnt around 2.5 hectares of scrubland. That incident required the deployment of a firefighting operation involving both ground and aerial resources.

More recently, in May 2024, the municipality suffered another forest fire in the Montealegre area, which affected 5.5 hectares. On that occasion, a dozen residents had to be evacuated as a precautionary measure, but they were later able to return.

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