News
The wildfire, unusual at this time of year, affected Pujerra, Jubrique, Genalguacil, Estepona and Benahavís
10.02.12 - 12:51 -
The scene in the Serranía de Ronda last week was hardly what you would expect on one of the coldest weekends of the year: a forest fire in the middle of winter. The low temperatures failed to protect the picturesque countryside from a blaze of considerable dimensions. An area as large as 750 hectares was razed, affecting five municipalities: Pujerra, Jubrique, Genalguacil, Estepona and Benahavís.
The flames had found themselves a devastating ally: the wind, which complicated what started as a small fire and overwhelmed the firefighters that had been called to the Genal valley on Saturday afternoon.
The blaze, that started in the area known as Helechal in the municipality of Pujerra, was declared to be under control on Monday, although six firefighting patrols, aircraft, and specialists from the Brica brigade were still monitoring the area on Tuesday.
In the end the firefighting operation involved a contingent of 400 people, among them 220 members of the Military Emergency Unit (UME), 22 Guardia Civil officers and around 130 Infoca specialists as well as firefighters from the provincial fire brigade. These details were provided by Jorge Hernández Mollar, the new central government delegate for the province of Malaga, who travelled to the scene, as did the regional government representative, Remedios Martel, and the provincial Environment delegate, Francisco Fernández España. He added that seven fire engines, four helicopters and a coordination plane were also used in the operation.
The Junta estimated on Sunday that the fire had razed 500 hectares, although land owners and local residents believed the figure to be more than a thousand hectares On Tuesday the official figure was raised to 750. The flames destroyed pines, scrubland and cork oaks in the Sierra Bermeja and the upper Genal valley. The environmental value of the area, a favourite spot for nature lovers and hikers, has made the fire even more tragic. The area in question it not protected itself but it is wedged between the Sierra de las Nieves Biosphere Reserve on one side and Los Reales de Sierra Bermeja, the home of the province’s only ‘pinsapo’ (Spanish fir) woods, on the other.
Investigations into the cause of the blaze believe that it was the result of negligence on the part of someone, yet to be identified, burning stubble or waste vegetation.
Casares
This was not the only forest fire to affect the province last weekend. On Sunday afternoon the provincial fire brigade was informed of another blaze in Casares requiring some of the firefighters on duty in Pujerra to be relocated. This blaze was brought under control quickly and affected pine woods and scrubland.
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