Volunteers ‘essential’ to Javea safety

Fire is a perpetual Costa Blanca threat and high winds increase the danger tenfold.

Recent gales with gusts of 70 kilometres did their worst, but a fire in Javea’s Cansalades area was fortunately spotted by both a Guardia Civil patrol and staff at the desalinisation plant.

Denia fire brigade was dealing with separate fires in Monte Segaria and Pedreguer at the time, so the Balcon al Mar volunteer firefighters and Proteccion Civil members were mobilised.

Unassisted during the first hour they fought the blaze that destroyed 500 square metres of pine and scrub on private property.

Reinforcements arrived later and the fire was under control by 5.40am Monday morning, almost three hours after it began. It was finally extinguished at 8am.

Initial investigations by Javea’s Local Police suggest that the fire began in the property’s electrical installation.

The Balcon al Mar firefighters and Proteccion Civil were vital in controlling the fire and both are essential to Javea safety, said Public Safety councillor Juan Ortala.