Jo Chipchase
The forest fire that started yesterday in Los Guajares, near Granada, is still classified as “active” tonight. Over 2,000 hectares of land have been destroyed, and a pall of smoke and ash has remained over parts of La Alpujarra, signalling the extent of the damage.
Although the fire had advanced considerably last night, progressing over a ridge towards Albuñuelas and El Pinar in the Lecrin Valley, the INFOCA emergency services – who set up a control centre in Albuñuelas village – have worked tirelessly to control it. They have deployed 300 firemen and 23 aerial units to fight the blaze.
In a statement tonight, INFOCA said that the topography of the zone is tricky, featuring many ravines and vegetation, and that the wind being erratic has made their job more difficult. With the blaze still classified as “active”, they hope to get it “under control” tomorrow.
Claire James, a resident of Albuñuelas, told the Olive Press: “Earlier, we were worried about being stranded in the village, as there’s only one road out, but we were reassured by the presence of the INFOCA team. One effect of the blaze is that people are being very kind. We had two offers of houses to stay if we were evacuated.
To date, INFOCA hasn’t required evacuation of the zone.
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