Fire in Sierra Perme: Swedes evacuated in Spain

A big fire is raging on the sunny coast of Spain.

Anders and his family were among the last evacuees from a village devastated by the fire.

– I looked at Benahavis and saw a great cloud of smoke, he says.

More than 2,000 people were forced from their homes in the south Spain After fires broke out in the area. The fire broke out on Wednesday in the mountainous Sierra Bermeja region and quickly spread to the sunny coast.

500 firefighters were called to fight the fires, but strong winds and high altitudes made the firefighting complicated, and three firefighters were injured, according to Spanish authorities.

It was terribly hot and dry very quickly this year, says Swede Anders Reyes, who was one of the last evacuees.

Lived in Spain for twenty years

Aftonbladet spoke to Anders, who has lived in Benahavis for over ten years with his wife Linda, 15-year-old son Karl, and a dog.

– We saw how the cloud of smoke approached and it was completely red because the sun was lit, and it was very unpleasant.

Late in the evening they heard the sirens of the village, but since they lived little and it was dark outside, they did not realize the seriousness until later in the night.

And only when they heard the loudspeakers about “leave the area immediately” did they realize that they had to get out quickly.

Then we got nervous and started packing the necessities — some clothes, toiletries, food for the dog, and our passports, Anders says.

‘It’s hard to breathe’

The rescue service has set up tents in the village of San Pedro, which has a population of about 7,000, for those who have nowhere to go. But most of the evacuees have taken refuge in relatives, friends or hotels.

– We left the village and realized that we were among the last to leave. We were lucky and were able to borrow some friends’ house in San Pedro.

The next day, Anders passed the area devastated by the fire and noticed that the air was still heavy.

Breathing was very difficult, he says.

Fires in Spain and southern Europe are relatively common in the summer and the region is now facing another heat wave as the firefighting continues. Several media reported that the fire broke out, but this was not confirmed.