Yesterday saw a forest fire underneath the Torre de Maro, right on the border of the natural park.

Infoca received a call out around 19.00h, as a tall column of smoke coud be seen from the centre of Nerja. Nearer to the fire, flames could be seen amongst the trees below the atalaya (watch tower).

The Guardia Civil, Policía Local and the local fire service were called out to support them. The police units were the first to arrive, having less distance to travel.

They were met by a woman, who confessed to having lit a bonfire to burn cuttings but the fire had got out of control and spread to the nearby woods. She lives in a small chalet in the area.

Owing to the light but steady breeze coming from the West and the dry conditions of the tree-covered hillside, the flames worked their way towards the historic, lookout tower some 200 metres away from the woman’s property.

Infoca teams arrived from several bases in the province and by one in the morning had managed to check its advance. Air units had been deployed until sunset as they don’t operate at night but 60 fire fighters worked throughout the night, backed by two fire trucks.

A group of holiday makers, who had been spending the afternoon on the Cala del Carrizal, which lies below the tower, had to be lifted off the beach by a Guardia Civil maritime vessel and a RIB belonging to Protección Civil de Nerja and take them to the Marina del Este. Amongst those rescued was a 12-year-old girl.

This morning there were still 16 fire fighters and a fire truck left with the task of putting the fire out completely. At 13.00h Infoca informed that the fire had been reduced to a couple of hot spots within a cleared defensive perimeter.

(News: Maro, Nerja, Axarquia, Costa del Sol, Malaga, Andalucia – Photo: E. Cabezas)