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Tuesday, 20th - 26th June 2017
Maximum alert for forest fires The Ministry of Agriculture, Environment, Climate Change and Rural Development has raised the risk alert for forest fires in the Alicante region to ‘maximum’. A Ministry spokesperson advised extreme caution for those in mountain areas as we experience high temperatures this week throughout the region. Throughout the weekend, residents experienced a surge of warm air, and coupled with high temperatures and relatively low humidity, the risk of forest fires is at an all time high. The forecast for the next few days indicates that temperatures, even at night, will remain in the mid twenties and above. PREVENTION Authorities are urging residents to help avoid forest fires by applying common sense before carrying out any activity that could risk triggering a potential forest fire. A local government spokesperson said,“Fires not only affect vegetation and wildlife, but also endanger both the property and the lives of those affected and those who must defend those properties and extinguish fires.”
At the moment, Alert Level 3, has been activated – meaning that all previously issued authorisations for fires are invalid. The Ministry also wishes to remind residents never to discard lit matches or cigarette butts, never light a fire in or near a forest area, never throw litter – especially glass bottles which can, magnify heat and ignite dry tinder, causing fire to start. The burning of crop margins, agricultural waste or forestry is prohibited at this time in general. In exceptional cases, consult the local municipalities or environmental agents who will be able to tell you how best to proceed and if/when fire authorisations will be reissued for your area. When driving on forest land, do not stop the vehicle on dry vegetation – the advice from the local government is to leave your vehicle in areas devoid of vegetation, as a hot exhaust pipe can ignite grass. For cereal-producing farmers, the government is urging extreme caution, given that we are in the harvest season. Fires can occur from machine sparks and the dust generated in processing is highly flammable.
Local beekeepers are also encouraged to exercise caution when using a smoker. Companies working in a forest environment should remember that must comply with the provisions of Decree 7/2004 that regulates the measures to be taken in these cases. If you own a house or farm near forest land, extreme caution should be exercised. For example, keep the roof free of dead leaves or litter, and do not discard the remains of chimneys, stoves or paella/ barbecue on or near dry vegetation. If you have no choice but to use generators, motors, electrical or motorised equipment, welding equipment, etc., includ-ing those controlled by remote control, you must ask for a specific permit if this machinery is used in or near Forest land. While we remain on high alert in this area, security and environmental personnel, forestry observatories and prevention units are keeping each other informed and remain alert for possible fire outbreak.
PORTUGAL Meanwhile, the death toll from the forest fire which ravaged parts of Portugal at the weekend has risen to 72. Of those who perished in the fires, which swept through central Portugal, many of them died while still in their cars as flames swept over a road. The Prime Minister of Portugal has described the fires as “the biggest tragedy” the country has experienced in years. The country has declared three days of national mourning for the victims in the blaze, “which has caused an irreparable loss of human life”, according to a government statement. A lightning strike is believed to have sparked the blaze in the Pedrogao Grande area after investigators found a tree that was hit during a “dry thunderstorm”, the head of the national judicial police told Portuguese media. Dry thunderstorms are frequent when falling water evaporates before reaching the ground because of high temperatures. Portugal, like most southern European countries, is prone to forest fires in the dry summer months.
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