Thousands of tourists have been evacuated from a popular Spanish holiday spot after a raging wildfire broke out.
More than 2000 people are said to have been rushed to safety from hotels and beaches in the town of Tarifa in Cadiz after an evacuation order was put in place at around 2.20pm on Monday.
Images published by the Andalusian Emergency Agency (EMA) show clouds of smoke pouring from dry fields and forests.
📆 06/08/2025 🕜 19.40 h
— EMA INFOCA (@Plan_INFOCA) August 11, 2025
🔴 ACTUALIZAMOS | #IFTarifa. Continúan:
AÉREOS: 14
🚁 2 pesados, 3 semipesados, 1 ligero
🛩️ 2 anfibios ligeros, 1 anfibio pesado, 4 carga en tierra, 1 coordinación
TERRESTRES:
👩🚒150 profesionales, 🚒5 autobombas, 📡1 #UNASIF, 1 #UMMT y 🩺1 #UMIF pic.twitter.com/yxrNO1tR7W
Both holidaymakers and local residents have been evacuated from the resort area of Southern Spain, the Scottish Sun reports.
EMA confirmed that people staying in a small number of hotels and residential areas have been allowed to return.
However, the rest of the evacuees cannot come back yet.
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One tourist said: “The smoke was intensifying and getting closer. We saw flames coming down from the top of the mountain, and the easterly wind was intensifying.
“We were scared.”
Crowds were reportedly ushered along the shore towards the village of Zahara de los Atunes, with a sports centre being refitted as an emergency refuge for evacuees.
Antonio Sanz, Interior Minister of the Government of Andalusia, urged anyone staying behind to stay inside and close their windows because the smoke is “very harmful” and makes it difficult to breathe.
He said: “At the moment, the main concern is on the right side towards the scrub forest area.”
Se autoriza el regreso de los desalojados de hoteles Meliá Zahara, Atlántico y Varadero y de las urbanizaciones Mar de Plata, Almadraba, Atlanterra Playa y Jardines de Zahara
— Antonio Sanz Cabello (@antoniosanz) August 12, 2025
El resto de realojados NO pueden volver aún
Trabajamos en el flanco derecho del incendio #IFTarifa pic.twitter.com/P0TZV5XU7j
Mr Sanz reassured the public that all resources were being put into preventing further damage.
The blaze is the latest in a string of wildfires in Spain this summer.
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