By Cathy Elelman • Published: 31 Aug 2020 • 17:28
A WILDFIRE which has been raging for four days in Huelva has finally been stabilised, the Andalucia Plan Infoca firefighting service reports.
The blaze started up on Thursday in the Olivargas area of Almonaster la Real, and according to initial estimations has burned through some 12,000 hectares.
En #IFAlmonasterLaReal el fuego ha ido tan rápido que ha dejado zonas con potencial de retorno (islas no quemadas del todo). En ellas podría volver a prender, si el viento aviva llamas, saltando a copas (antorcheo) y desde la copa, desprender pavesas que prendan metros más lejos pic.twitter.com/udnXoV47Q6 — INFOCA (@Plan_INFOCA) August 30, 2020
En #IFAlmonasterLaReal el fuego ha ido tan rápido que ha dejado zonas con potencial de retorno (islas no quemadas del todo). En ellas podría volver a prender, si el viento aviva llamas, saltando a copas (antorcheo) y desde la copa, desprender pavesas que prendan metros más lejos pic.twitter.com/udnXoV47Q6
— INFOCA (@Plan_INFOCA) August 30, 2020
The firefighting teams are now working to get the fire under control.
The advance of the wildfire forced the evacuation of more than 3,000 people from various villages potentially in its path. With the emergency level put down to a level one, around 1,800 are today allowed to return to their homes.
The fire was declared a level two emergency on Friday, requiring the incorporation of extraordinary State assistance, and a Military Emergency Unit still remains in the area.
Diego Rodríguez, the mayor of affected locality Zalamea la Real, expressed his relief to Spanish press that the situation has improved after what he said had been a very stressful night when it didn’t look as though that was going to happen.
The mayor of Almonaster la Real Mayor also welcomed Monday’s news, commenting that “after four days of uncertainty and anxiety” local residents “have seen the light at end of the tunnel.”
Valverde mayor Syra Senra issued a reminder though to remain “on the alert” given the flames have still not been put out.
“There’s still a lot of work ahead,” she warned.
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Cathy Elelman is the local writer for the Costa de Almeria edition of the Euro Weekly News.
Based in Mojacar for the last 21 years, Cathy is very much part of the local community and is always well and truly up on all the latest news and events going on in this region of Spain.
Her top goals are to do the best job she can informing the local English-speaking community, visitors to the area and the wider world about about the news in Almeria, to learn something new every day, and to embrace very new challenge this fast-changing world brings her way.
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