Thousands evacuated in Spain as wildfires set Costa del Sol ablaze

Monday, September 13, 2021

Nearly 2000 individuals had to leave their homes after wildfires broke out in the region of Andalusia in southern Spain. The blaze which began on Wednesday, September 8, 2021, killed one emergency worker. The fires started on high ground above the popular resort town of Estepona on the Costa del Sol in Spain.

The Spanish government has deployed a military unit to help firefighters in the mountainous region. On Sunday, September 12, 2021, six more towns and villages were evacuated as huge plumes of smoke could be seen from miles away. Residents of five other communities were also told to leave their homes on Friday.

As per local reports, the blaze has burned 7,400 hectares and residents have mentioned that they have never witnessed a similar phenomenon before. However, Europe has witnessed an increasing number of wildfires this summer. Climate change is largely increasing the risk of the hot, dry weather that is likely to fuel wildfires. The world has already warmed by about 1.2C since the industrial era began and temperatures will keep rising unless governments around the world make steep cuts to emissions.

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