There are plenty of wildfires in Spain as well as in other southern European countries.
The wildfire raging in the Mijas area was driving Alhaur, who lives in el Grande Hanne Halonen to the evacuation center, but the situation was brought under control today, Saturday.
The city is located in the province of Malaga, twenty kilometers inland from Torremolinos, popular with tourists. The fire started on the coastal side of Mount Mijas, but spread to the other side as well.
– I watched from my porch yesterday afternoon as a huge fire avalanche came down the mountainside. In dry terrain, fire spreads quickly also in the width direction, Halonen describes.
He packed the most important things in the car and prepared to run away with his dogs.
– I have never encountered anything like this. It was really scary, even though I’m pretty tough and I don’t panic. The voice trembled many times when we thought with people about what to do. It was a really shocking day for all of us, says Halonen.
The night was exciting, because Halonen could see well in the dark how the colonies started to light up again.
Today, Saturday, however, the situation was brought under control, and according to Halonen’s assessment, the residences are not in danger.
– I still see hot spots that are being extinguished and the fire is going in waves down the mountainside, Halonen tells by phone.
Last Friday, the fire reached the very edge of Alhauri el Grande, behind the health center. An estimated couple of thousand people have had to be evacuated from both Alhaurin el Grande and Alhaurin el Torre.
Thousands of people have fled the forest fires raging across Europe this week. The fires have caused the most extensive damage so far in France, Spain, Portugal and Greece.
Extinguishing water even from swimming pools
Extinguishing work was carried out at night only on foot, as rescue helicopters cannot work in the dark. Extinguishing is dangerous even during the day.
– Every time they drop the extinguishing kit, a thick cloud of smoke rises, the middle of which you have to get away from. And when extinguishing work takes place along a mountainside, there is a risk of colliding with the mountain, Hanne Halonen describes.
In the morning, the helicopters were able to continue. Water is taken from where it is available: for example from swimming pools.
The rains are not expected to help at this time of year, but the wind that pushed the fire forward calmed down on Saturday. In the fall, a similar fire was extinguished for weeks, and Halonen believes that observation helicopters will fly in the area for a long time even after the fire has been extinguished.