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Fire destroys park High winds on Sunday night hampered fire fighters’ efforts to tackle a ferocious blaze which engulfed El Hondo Natural Park – an important local nature reserve between Elche and Crevillente. Fire ravaged through the night and destroyed at least 80,000 square metres of parkland. Strong winds made the job of the fire service almost impossible as gusts of 80 kilometres per hour continued throughout the night. In addition to strong winds, the complexity of the rough terrain and the darkness of the park at night made the job of tackling the blaze even more difficult. Fire fighters from four stations – two from Elche, and one each from
Almoradí and San Vicente del Raspeig – were dispatched to an area near Dolores from where the fire had started to spread. With support from local police from Elche, Catral and Dolores as well as
Guardia Civil and National Police, a command post was manned throughout the night as emergency services battled to keep the fire under control. The dry terrain – mostly
Tues 16th February - Mon 22nd 2016
scrubland – meant that the fire began to spread at an alarming rate and the teams struggled to stop the spread of the flames which at times, stoked by the high winds, were burning at ten metres high. Because of the terrifying sight of huge flames, local residents of nearby villages became alarmed and a number of calls were put in to emergency services. It was at around 9pm when the crews started to battle the blaze but an hour later, were still struggling to keep it under control. In the early hours of the morning, the main fires were under control, but not completely extinguished. Fire fighters at the scene did not rule out having to work through the night to keep the fire from reigniting. It was then decided that four crews of fire fighters would stand guard until Monday morning. The full extent of the damage caused by the fire was still being assessed as the Costa Blanca People went to press on Monday but according to sources at El Hondo Natural Park, an estimated 80,000 square metres have been destroyed. However, it is hoped that the protected area within the park – home to many species of birds – avoided the worst of the blaze. The park was
designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1988 and subsequently declared a Nature Reserve by the Regional Government, the Generalitat Valenciana, in 1994. The park is classified as an official Protected Area for Birds due to the importance and abundance of its bird life. There are 172 species, of which about 50 nest in El Hondo. Among them are the marbled teal, one of Europe's most threatened birds and the white-headed duck, also at risk of extinction, as well as herons, several types of wading duck and flamingos. Also found living in the waters of the park are eels, grey mullets, carp and the common tooth carp, a small fish endemic in the Spanish Mediterranean. The cause of what started the fire will be the subject of an investigation by the authorities. Aoife Leddy
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