Emergencies

Cala Estellencs fire the worst of the year

Firefighters at the scene in Cala Estellencs. | Michel's

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterAndratx23/07/2018 00:00

The fire in Cala Estellencs which broke out on Saturday night affected 5.23 hectares of pine forest. It was the worst fire of the year in Majorca, where there have been 23 previous fires which have claimed a total of 6.7 hectares.

The Guardia Civil's Seprona division, which is responsible for environmental protection, is investigating the circumstances of the fire, which started close to the access to Cala Estellencs and not far from the car park.

There was an open-air dinner on Saturday that was attended by around 100 people. It was interrupted when flames were seen in the forest. Initially, those attending the dinner and local residents tried to put the fire out, but it started to spread rapidly. Overnight, the Ibanat forestry agency, Council of Majorca fire crews and Civil Protection fought to contain it. From first light on Sunday, air support was available in the form of firefighting planes and helicopters.

Ibanat says that around a third of the affected area was extremely difficult to get access to because of the cliffs. The suspicion is that the fire was the result of negligence.

The agency announced that the fire was totally controlled at four o'clock yesterday afternoon.