'Worst fire of the summer'
Three large fires wipe out nearly 460 acres of countryside
THREE large fires in as many days across the Marina Alta have wiped out nearly 1.86 square kilometres (460 acres) of countryside, but fortunately nobody is reported to have been injured and no properties damaged.
An inferno that started in the La Llacuna area of Villalonga (La Safor, Valencia province) on Saturday evening swiftly spread into the Vall de Gallinera, behind Pego.
It is thought to have ignited near the CV-702 between L’Orxa and Villalonga, close to an urbanisation. Abandoned orchards on the mountainsides in the hamlets of Alpatró and Benissili, combined with the heatwave and high winds, provided the perfect storm, and within 24 hours, the flames had devoured over 400 acres.
Vall de Gallinera mayor Ignasi Mora said the increasing neglect of farmland is the result of the shrinking population, and the blaze shows ‘yet another consequence’ of Spain's rural exodus.
Planes and helicopters were brought in and emergency services were on the scene quickly, although the fire spread so rapidly that a massive cloud of smoke could be seen from as far away as Oliva. Pilots were flying ‘blind’ as they nosedived into the smoke to attack the flames at their source.
An inquiry was launched on Monday after reports that what has been described as ‘the worst forest fire of summer 2020’ could have been the work of arsonists, or gross negligence – although it is possible that a lightning strike had hit a tree and fire had lain dormant inside the trunk for several days, emergency services say.
The Vall de Gallinera is still recovering from the inferno of May 2015 which reduced the neighbouring Vall d’Ebo to ashes and spread to Pego and L’Atzúvia.
Emergency animal rescue
Almost simultaneously, a blaze broke out in Castell de Castells, destroying 40 acres and threatening the safety of animals at a farm in the Pla de Petracos area.
The distressed owner begged police on site for help rescuing his donkeys, ponies and goats. Between them, they managed to herd the terrified animals into a paddock near the Benigembla road at a safe distance from the path of the fire.
Once they had been installed, officers reassured the owner and told him where he could find his flock and take them food and water.
Four evacuations
Just two days earlier, a wildfire alongside the N-332 in El Verger forced residents to flee their houses. After it ignited at around 14.15, the blaze gobbled up the bone-dry wasteland between the inter-provincial highway and the AP-7 motorway, reducing 20 acres to ashes in little more than two hours.
Two helicopters arrived quickly and their crews had the flames were under control by around 16.30.
The occupants of four country houses were forced to round up their pets, load them into their cars and get away fast. Firefighters said afterwards that the blaze had only missed their homes by a small distance.
They feared at first that the inferno would spread to the old safari park grounds, which are overgrown, tinder-dry and disused, but they managed to keep it in check.
Local police had to shut the N-332 and divert the traffic. Rescue workers suspect it could have been caused by someone throwing a cigarette end out of a car window.
Pinoso blaze
As Costa Blanca News went to press, fire fighters were working to douse a forest fire which ignited in the municipality of Pinoso, close to the border of Murcia region.
State news agency EFE reported that the blaze started late on Wednesday night and seven fire engines had attempted to extinguish the flames.
However, the fire continued to spread and yesterday (Thursday) morning three helicopters were called in to help with the fight.