Wildfires in Spain and Croatia: thousands of hectares destroyed

In recent days, wildfires have affected tourist areas in Spain and Croatia, leading to evacuations, injuries, and the destruction of vast areas of vegetation. In Spain, a fire that broke out near Marbella injured three people, while on the Croatian island of Braè, approximately 500 people were evacuated after flames destroyed 3,500 hectares. A wildfire that started on Sunday in the hilly area near Benahavís-a town in the popular Costa del Sol tourist region of southern Spain-injured three people, according to Andalusian emergency services cited by AFP. Benahavís is an exclusive town home to a significant expatriate community, particularly British nationals. "One person suffered burns while trying to extinguish the fire, and a forest firefighter was injured in a fall," emergency services reported on the X platform. The firefighter suffered a wrist fracture, while a third person received medical attention for mild smoke inhalation, Antonio Sanz, the region's head of emergency services, told reporters.

• 9,500 people urged to stay indoors

Authorities asked the approximately 9,500 residents of Benahavís and nearby villas to remain indoors due to the "very rapid spread" of the flames. The fire was fueled by wind gusts reaching up to 50 km/h. Approximately 50 people from a residential neighborhood were evacuated as a precaution. No homes were damaged, according to Antonio Sanz. More than 200 firefighters were mobilized for the operation, supported by around 20 aircraft. The scale of the fires in Spain is also highlighted by data from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). According to EFFIS, over 296,000 hectares have been affected by fires in Spain since the beginning of the year.

• 500 people evacuated in Croatia

Approximately 500 people were evacuated from the Croatian island of Braè after a fire broke out and approached inhabited areas. The flames destroyed about 3,500 hectares of vegetation, according to Croatian authorities cited by AFP. The fire on Braè and the one near Marbella add to a series of wildfire incidents, with firefighting efforts complicated by the rapid spread of the flames and weather conditions.