A wildfire tearing through Tarifa’s Sierra de la Plata is believed to have been the work of an arsonist, the Junta de Andalucia said Tuesday.
Minister Antonio Sanz said early investigations by the Infoca wildfire unit and security forces point to ‘clear intent’ behind the inferno, which has already scorched some 300 hectares inside the Parque Natural del Estrecho.
‘This is no longer negligence, it’s malice,’ Sanz said. ‘Someone set out to cause harm, risking a natural catastrophe and endangering lives.’
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The fire forced more than 2,000 people from hotels, housing developments, and beaches in Atlanterra and Playa de los Alemanes.
Around 400 have since returned, while others remain in emergency shelters at Miguel de Cervantes school and the church in Zahara de los Atunes.
Drones are now patrolling the coastline to track the fire’s spread and detect suspicious activity.
The alert was heightened after another deliberate blaze was reported this morning in Caños de Meca, prompting reinforcements and a public call for vigilance.
Crews are battling three active hotspots, with the right flank of the fire proving most dangerous.
Bulldozers have cleared access for fire engines on the left, but strong winds and scorching temperatures- red alerts are in place across much of Andalucia – threaten to fan the flames further.
Sanz added: ‘Those who attack nature, people, and tourism in this way deserve the full weight of the law and the total rejection of society.’
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
