Thousands flee 100ft wildfire flames in southern Spain

A huge wildfire was raging out of control on the Costa del Sol today, forcing 4,000 people to flee their homes.

Some 600 firefighters and soldiers were battling against the blaze as it approached the resort of Marbella.

Mayor Angeles Munoz said thousands of people had been ordered to leave their villas in developments near the seaside town.

Taxi drivers volunteered to help residents escape as the flames advanced, and many spent the early hours in a local sports centre.

Other towns on the Costa del Sol, including Mijas, Alhaurin el Grande and Ojen were also under threat. At least one large hotel — the 200-room La Cala Resort near Mijas — was evacuated.

Two people were taken to hospital suffering from burns after the blaze reached their villa in El Rosario, a development near Marbella.

The fire is thought to have started near Coin at about 7pm yesterday and rapidly spread in 30C heat. Some eye witnesses said they saw flames up to 100 feet high raging towards houses between Alhaurin and Coin.

Huge, thick plumes of black smoke could be seen over Mijas. Regional government spokesman Jose Luis Ruiz Espejo said the fire was raging on four fronts, some several miles long, and was “advancing rapidly”.

The mayor of Mijas, Angel Nozal, said: “The fire is terrifying. I’ve already seen some houses between Alhaurina and Mijas burned.”

Spain has suffered its worst summer in a decade for wildfires, with almost 600 square miles of forest and countryside destroyed in 22 major blazes.