Almería forest fire under control
Almería forest fire under control
16 July 2009
published by www.typicallyspanish.com
Spain — It destroyed 4,000 hectares in the Sierra Cabrera and needed 600 fire fighters to bring the flames under control
The forest fire which raged for two days in Almerías Sierra Cabrera natural park in Turre was finally brought under control on Thursday morning after destroying more than 4,000 hectares.
The news that the fire was stabilised came from the Infoca forest fire fighting organisation on Wednesday evening, and they announced at 11am on Thursday that it was finally under control. El Almería newspaper reports that teams worked at the scene throughout Wednesday night to ensure the blaze did not revive.
More than 600 personnel were working to control the flames, with help called in from the military and the Civil Guard. The fire fighting effort was hampered by Tuesdays high winds, high temperatures and low humidity. Its believed to have been started by a lightning strike during an electrical storm on Tuesday which also caused other small fires elsewhere in the province.
Five hundred people who were evacuated from their homes as a precaution were allowed back home on Wednesday, and many indeed chose to stay with friends on Tuesday night rather than in the Red Cross temporary accommodation set up for them in Mojácar.
Its understood the Level 2 emergency alert has now been called off, and an Infoca investigation will take place to confirm the exact cause of the forest fire.
Meanwhile in a separate story, police have arrested a 36 year old Benidorm man in connection with the forest fire which affected 3 hectares of land in the Sierra Helada on July 8. Its understood he has a previous record on a similar charge from September last year.
