# wild fires spain



## dragabed (May 24, 2008)

i hope we dont have any members on holiday or going to the marbella area the wild fires look bad on the bbc report


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## Detourer (May 9, 2005)

Unfortunately there are more than a few members in the area.......We depart for Morocco tomorrow and therefore have clients/members inland from Coin and Alhaurin el Grande [we live between both villages], the area most effected yesterday during the night and today.......We are trying to contact them to redirect their routes to Algeciras.

It seems that many of the main roads, and certainly the minor ones are still closed due to smoke and ash and I can see from our office window that, thankfully for us but not for others, that the wind has pushed most of the blaze westward........

But the fire was and still is very very close..........We can smell and see fires in the nearby sierra as well as hear the crackling!!!

We have over 350 firefighters and 1O0's of Military on the ground and police everywhere. I can count 17 aircraft in the air at this moment....'copters, crop sprayers, heavy water bombers etc etc........ It was a tragic and sad sight this morning to see groups of people, Spanish and ex-pats, looking down into the worst effected areas at their destroyed homes.

Fire crews and engines have come from as far away as Granada and Seville and I hear that a couple of water-bombers are on their way from Morocco..........

Population effected, that's several 1000's, have been moved to a racecourse along the coast. I am not sure about the campsite situation down there.

Thankfully loss of life is at the moment small.......one or two fatal is the sad news.

There are many many "Hero's" at this time but I have to take my hat off to the few ex-pat Brits who late last night broke through a police cordon and drove into the flames and saved over 100 trapped dogs, cats and horses trapped in two engulfed animal rescue centers...........then organised a reception center and sent internet calls out for temp-homes..........Thats Brits for you!!

Other than that all is normal!

Ray......


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Just seen it on the news. Looks horrific. Stay safe Ray.

I agree hats off to the Brits that rescued the animals. Totally mad by the sound of it and they will no doubt come in for some criticism but well done them


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Certainly I echo that, stay safe Ray

The Brits are certainly not without courage, never have been

My heart goes out to those who have lost their homes

one life lost is too many

Aldra


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## Detourer (May 9, 2005)

I was not going to bore members with more information but I need to thank the many members, future and ex-clients who have contacted us over the last few days expressing concern and encouragement...... Those who know us personally and who may have visited us at home/office will know that our location was for the most-part in the centre of the "Action"..........

Thankfully for us, but sadly for others, the danger seems to have passed with winds driving the flames westward towards Estepona but more inland.......towards an area of National Park and with less population.

I understand a couple of inland campsites were evacuated, just in case and because of smoke, but I have no idea about the coastal sites......as the roads down there from our high sierra have been closed.

Thankfully we have been able to contact the majority of those meeting us later today and crossing to Morocco with us tomorrow and all is OK. Our deeper inland Andalusia Tours have not been effected, so those who may have friends or relatives with us there and doing that, do not worry.

To the layman the progression and logic of a rampaging forest fire makes little sense. At times we have seen it stop, apparently for no reason, just before overwhelming a property.......while others have experienced seemingly unrelated combustion some distance from the actual fire [embers I would guess]. Areas have been left to burn while others have seen great efforts.

Over 30 aircraft have been in the air continually and where up again at first light this morning. I have spotted Moroccan markings and I am sure UK [ I hear reports that an aircraft and specialist fire-crew from the UK/Somerset are down here]. All very spectacular at any other time.

Malaga Airport has suffered some delays as it has of course been used for endless re-fuelling and loading of retardants, every accessible swimming pool of size close to the affected area has been sucked dry.......I have some incredible pictures of helicopters doing this....... holiday makers on the beaches have seen streams of water bombers scooping water off-shore [bloody jelly-fish now are now breeding in the sierras......joke!].

I know humans have been effected but the saddest sights for me have been the burnt, soot covered and terrified dogs running around aimlessly, families of baby wild-boar [we have a lot up here] being aimlessly lead by their "parents" to higher and probably more dangerous areas........ we still have half a dozen terrified boar sitting, instinctively I assume, in and around the stream on our land. Many of the temporary animal fosterers are now probably thinking " s##t, what do I do with this thing now".........

I will see if my daughter will post a photo link while I am away.........

Anyway......I think Debbie [I have bought her a nice designer aluminum foil-suit and a couple of new sand bucket] has now packed my truck so I had better look busy and get off.....

Once again, thanks to all those who contacted.

Ray


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## Detourer (May 9, 2005)

*Wildfire Photos Spain*

Hi,

Beckii (Ray's daughter here). 
Dad has left with the group for Morocco, leaving all the Ash and burnt out lands behind.

For those interested, as mentioned in his previous posts, i have made a link which contains some amazing yet devastating photos taken from our back garden, friends of mine and around the local community.

Beckii

Wildfire Devastation Spain 2012


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