Cristina Hodgson
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MORE than half of Andalucia has been placed under red alert for extreme risk of forest fires during this first week of August.
After an extremely hot July, where the firefighters of the Infoca Plan (a forest fire prevention and extinction plan created by the Junta) have had to deal with flames day after day, August has not commenced with better forecasts.
The heat and lack of precipitation this year are a worrisome combination for Infoca and firefighters in the region.
Last weekend alone saw Infoca carry out up to 18 actions to control forest fires in various locations across the region, including Pinos Genil (Granada), Antequera (Malaga), Jerez de la Frontera (Cadiz), and Alcala del Rio (Sevilla).
Fortunately, all of them have been controlled, but the heat warnings issued by Spain’s Met Office (AEMET) for the coming days and the data from the Fire Analysis Technical Unit (UTAF) of the Infoca’s Regional Operations Center continue to raise all alarms.
According to Ramon Fernandez-Pacheco, the Minister of Environment in Andalucia, the region is in the worst season for forest fires.
“Fortunately, Andalucia is prepared and has the best resources in Spain to face these types of catastrophes” Pacheco said.
Nevertheless, the Minister of Environment has urged people who enjoy the natural environment to do so with utmost care, exercising extreme caution to prevent fire risks.
Based on the data from Infoca, nearly the entire territories of Cordoba, Jaen, and Sevilla are under maximum alert for forest fires, with Huelva, Granada, and Malaga also having some parts of their territories on red alert. The remaining Andalucian provinces, Cadiz and Almeria, face a high risk of experiencing this type of fires.
In 2022, more than 15,700 hectares of forest land in Andalucia were devastated by fires.
READ MORE:
- Almost all of Spain at ‘extreme’ or ‘very high’ risk of forest fires
- Andalucia increases forest fire warning from low to medium half a month early
