First emergency reforestation works begin in the Sierra de Mijas following the major wildfire in July

Altogether, the Junta is planning emergency works on 612 hectares of woodland which were burned by the fire, and this first phase in Alhaurín el Grande accounts for 287 of them. The regional government was keen to start the works quickly to avoid possible landslides when the autumn rains arrive, because this area is vulnerable in that respect. “It would jeopardise the future reforestation if that were to happen,” Víquez said.

Toñi Ledesma said she was pleased that the works have begun just a month and a half after the fire was finally extinguished.

The blaze began on 15 July in the area known as El Higuerón, but spread so widely that it ended up affecting Mijas, Alhaurín el Grande and Alhaurín de la Torre. More than 2,000 people had to be evacuated from their homes in the two Alhauríns, before the fire was controlled on 19 July and put out on 3 August.

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After this phase of the emergency project, the next reforestation will be carried out on 213,444 hectares of woodland in La Mezquita and Puerto Blanquillo, in Alhaurín de la Torre, at an estimated cost of 769,823 euros. After that it will be turn of 111.75 metres of land belonging to Mijas in the Sierra Blanca and Sierra Bermeja, which will cost about 385,000 euros.

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