Celebrity chef Jose Andres is among the thousands caught up in the devastating forest fire in Cadiz.
The blaze, which broke out Monday in the Sierra de la Plata near Cueva del Moro, Tarifa, is being driven at terrifying speed by easterly winds of up to 50 km/h.
At least 2,000 people have been evacuated from the Atlanterra area in Zahara de los Atunes, with hotels like the Melia Zahara and Hotel Cortijo also cleared out.
READ MORE: IN VIDEOS: Terryfing fire takes hold in Tarifa as 2,000 people evacuated
Posting a video from the scene, Andres described the fire racing ‘parallel to the coast, just behind the beach’ towards Zahara.
‘There are several helicopters, a seaplane… they are doing what they can,’ he said, praising the ‘rapid and incredible’ coordination of the emergency response.
He added: ‘Many officers, including the Guardia Civil, are evacuating house by house because there is always the danger the fire will start burning one home and spread from one to another.’
Among those evacuated are TV presenter Iker Jimenez, ex-footballer Aitor Ocio, and Andres himself.
Some residents fled voluntarily as the flames crept closer, causing gridlock on the only road out.
Andalucia minister Antonio Sanz said authorities were working flat-out to stop the fire from spreading into tourist and residential zones.
In an update at 10pm on Monday he said: ‘The homes and hotels in Atlanterra and Los Alemanes have been saved.
‘The fire stopped at their doorstep, and the evacuation was carried out in record time.
‘Efforts are now focused on the forest area, with 14 air units and more than 100 firefighters.’
The fire comes just days after another blaze in La Peña, also in Tarifa, forced 1,500 people and 5,000 vehicles to evacuate before it was extinguished on August 5.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
