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Firefighters gaining control of wildfire near Spain park
MADRID, Aug 2, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Firefighters aided by calmer winds were
gaining control on Thursday of a wildfire near Spain’s famous Estrecho
natural park in the southwest of the country, an official said.
“If winds continue to let up, I believe it will be brought under control
this morning,” a spokesman for the firefighting service in Andalusia told
AFP.
Dozens of firefighters were tackling the blaze which broke out on Wednesday
at Punta Camarinal near Tarifa in the province of Cadiz amid scorching
temperatures.
The flames threatened, but did not enter, the nearby 19,000-hectare
Estrecho natural park, the spokesman added.
The park is home to oak, cork and wild olive trees as well as birdlife,
such as white storks, vultures and falcons.
It also takes in Bolonia beach, which is regularly included on lists of
Spain’s best beaches because of its fine white sand and crystal clear waters.
Like much of Spain, Cadiz is on high alert for forest fires because of a
heatwave pushing temperatures past 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).
Spain’s meteorological office, Aemet, said the hot spell would stretch to
at least Sunday as a mass of hot air moves up from Africa.
In 2008, a wildfire destroyed around 500 hectares (1,200 acres) of land in
the Estrecho natural park and forced the evacuation of around 1,000 people.
BSS/AFP/ARS/1645 hrs