The massive heat wave that has been pounding much of Europe has already led to a number of wildfires that have destroyed homes and livelihoods. has been dealing with several blazes over the past few weeks, and a new one could potentially be a threat to the Casino Admiral in the city of San Roque.
A wildfire burns in the area of San Roque, Spain, Tuesday night. The blaze could be a threat to the Casino Admiral San Roque casino. (Image: Twitter/El Batefuegos)Authorities evacuated a number of rural homes in the area known as La Cordillera in the Cadiz town of San Roque during the early hours of today. The forest fire began late yesterday in the area of Sierra del Arca before rapidly expanding out of control.
A steady wind approaching from the west wind is complicating the extinction. Currently, 34 forest firefighters, environmental agents, and three self-pumping vehicles are on site with members of the Provincial Fire Brigade Consortium and other security bodies.
Wildfires Taking OverThe mayor of the town, Juan Carlos Ruiz Boix, said the fire started around 10 PM on Tuesday. The first to arrive to fight the fire was the nearby Parque de La Alcaidesa. Joining them were members of Spain s Civil Guard, local police and Civil Protection volunteers, as well as firefighters from the parks of Guadacorte and Algeciras.
Ruiz Boix stated that, because of the west wind, firefighters knew they were going to have difficulty extinguishing the fire. However, they worked all night, as volunteers escorted some of the 300 displaced residents to the La Alcaidesa Fire Station.
Despite all of the efforts to control the blaze, it continued to grow throughout the night. As a result, Ruiz Boix warned that the local population needs to exercise caution, because the fire was out of control in the early morning.
The emergency troops have informed both the owners and vacationers in the area ā several campsites are close by ā that the flames are going in the direction of their facilities. However, unless the fire takes a drastic turn, the campsites could be spared.
As of Wednesday afternoon, firefighters are making progress in combating the blaze. However, there are some areas that are still flaring up.
This fire isn t far from another in the region. The town of Mijas, about 60 miles away, is dealing with its third fire in 10 days.
Casino Part of the CommunityThe Casino Admiral in San Roque is a standard fixture in the community. Located in Spain s Costa Del Sol on the Mediterranean Sea, the area has been a popular hotspot for tourists of all kinds for decades.
The property offers an amphitheater, bingo hall, hotel and, of course, a casino. In addition, it is close to a number of award-winning golf courses, including La Hacienda Alcaidesa Links Golf Resort.
The San Roque property was the first the Novomatic Group opened in the country. After initially closing its doors in 2010, the casino operator purchased it in 2015. The property then opened in 2016 after Novomatic put it through a year-long renovation that updated every aspect of its facilities.
