James Bryce
By James Bryce
DOZENS of expats have been forced to flee their homes after wildfires threatened an Andalucian town.
Firefighters and the military spent much of the weekend battling the blaze, which broke out on the outskirts of Bedar in Almeria, and remained on site on Monday as a precaution.
A total of 240 people were evacuated and made to spend the night in temporary shelters after the fire spread among pine trees on a hill overlooking the town, destroying around 250 hectares.
“It was horrendous, there has been a lot of devastation and a lot of people have lost their gardens and suffered damage to outbuildings,” Joanne Desmond from Olive estate agents in Bedar told the Olive Press on Monday.
“It was really frightening and very hair-raising but the emergency services have been unbelievable, they are absolutely amazing and were still fighting it last night.”
“It came very very close to a lot of houses, including ours, so the overriding emotion is one of relief that it wasn’t worse.”
I speak on behalf of several people who have lost their houses in the fire. I am shocked and bitterly dissapointed to read that we should be extremely thankfull for all the help that we have and are receiving from the Spanish government. To this date we have received nothing. Nobody from the government has contacted or offered anything. The only people we have had aid from are SOS–these people have worked very hard to collect clothing and food etc. I was in my pyjamas for two days–I like the other people I speak on behalf of were in similar situation
Continued–We had no help from Cruz Roja. We asked for help and were treated like beggars. Were told to come back another day between 10 and 11am. They would then mabe let us have some clothes. Maybe Mr Giles Paxman should get of his chair and meet with the people that are affected by the fire who to this date are homeles and have had no help, before making statements to the press–which are unfounded.We are trying to arrange a meeting with Angel Nozal–I did contact his facebook page–have not had a reply to date. R Koppel