BALEARICS ON MAXIMUM FOREST FIRE ALERT AS ANOTHER STRIKES

PHOTOS: SASKI BROWN
THE Balearics is one of 11 regions of Spain on maximum forest fire alert and yesterday, as a serious blaze broke out to the south of Valencia on the mainland, Majorcan fire fighters were called out to battle a blaze in the mountains near the village of Puigpunyent.

The photographs were taken and sent in by local resident and Bulletin reader Saski Brown who paid tribute to the fire and emergency services by stating: “We are so lucky to have all the services that help fight these fires from really taking hold. “They were amazing,” she added.
Fortunately the Puigpunyent fire was quickly brought under control and extinguished destroying three hectares of woodland.
But, the fire came less than 24 hours after Palma fire fighters had to respond to eight blazes in and around Palma the worst and most serious being on the Son Valenti industrial estate which forced the police to close roads and evacuate some of the warehouses and businesses as the flames spread towards the nearby petrol station.

This summer is proving to be one of the worst in recent years for forest fires in the Balearics.
While Majorca and Minorca have only been hit by a series of relatively minor blazes, some of which are still under investigation because they may have been caused intentionally, the worst blaze of the past decade was in Ibiza last month and it raged for the best part of a week. The Balearics has committed over half a million euro into helping clean up and revive the area of Benirras where over 1'500 people were celebrating a summer festival when the fire broke out forcing many to flee into the sea for safety.