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GUIDE ON PAGES 38 - 42 18 - 24 July 2019
LIGHTNING looks to have been the spark which set off a major wildfire in Terque at the weekend. The blaze broke out in the Loma de los Pollicos area in the early hours of Saturday morning during an electrical storm, Andalucia regional Agriculture and Sustainable Development minister Carmen Crespo told press. The Andalucia Plan Infoca firefighting service reported the blaze had been contained by early Sunday evening. By this time the flames had scorched at least 1,200 hectares in Terque, Huecija, Bentarique, Illar, Instincion and Enix. On Saturday over 120 firefighters, backed up by 22 helicopters and aircraft, including five fire extinction planes, battled to bring the blaze under control on steep, very dry terrain, in high temperatures and with gusts of wind of up to 25kms per hour. Infoca had to call in reinforcements from as far away as Jaen and Granada, and as a precaution police and Guardia Civil evacuated 12 people from their properties on Saturday night. At the same time, around 50 Emergency Military Unit pro-
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Lightning sparks off major wildfire CREDIT: INFOCA Twitter @Plan_INFOCA
ISSUE NO. 1776
SCORCHED: The blaze affected at least 1,200 hectares. fessionals, along with two helicopters and six fire engines, were brought in from Moron de la Frontera in Sevilla to lend their support to the firefighting operation. At the most critical point the fire reached a level two danger. At around 5.30pm on Sunday Plan Infoca declared the fire risk level was down to zero, but said nearly 100 firefighters would remain working throughout the night and into Monday to ensure
the flames were fully extinguished. Crespo praised Infoca firefighters and the UME for their efforts, and said their work had
“prevented greater damage.” Also on Saturday a second fire broke out in Dalias. Plan Infoca reported the fire was extinguished by 10pm.
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