One month after Lujar blaze still no sign of reforestation work

ONE month after a major forest fire burnt at least 80 per cent of the Lujar municipality in Costa Tropical, the town council is still waiting for the emergency works which were announced by the Junta de Andalucia regional government to prevent landslides and floods caused by the lack of trees. 

Mayor of Lujar, Manuel Gonzalez, explained that these works would only renovate the public areas of the mountain, but not the highly valuable cork oak plantations or private plots of residents, and that it was still unknown when the works would begin. 

Mr Gonzalez said that more than a hundred requests for compensation from those affected by the fire had already been issued, and it was estimated that at least 500 homes had been damaged. 

“Residents have not yet been able to move on, it is difficult to get over these kinds of events,” the mayor said, taking the chance to thank all volunteers and neighbours who were taking part in fundraising events and other charity work to get the area back to normal.