The association of neighbours “San Miguel Arcángel” denounced a forest fire last week which took place in an area that is specially protected for birds (ZEPA) on the Sierra de Escalona and Dehesa de Campoamor, which affected an area of pine forest and the Monte Bajo. The fire broke out last Thursday morning at about 9 am and affected an area of approximately 1,500 square meters.
Eyewitnesses say that the fire was started by someone who was burning agricultural prunings. As the wind subsequently increased in intensity the flames became out of control in an area of terrain that was particularly arid at the time.
The association has approached the City Council requesting that they ensure that permits for the burning of agricultural prunings are fully controlled and that precautions are taken to prevent such fires from spreading. They say that the fire was totally avoidable and could very well have resulted in an ecological disaster of incalculable proportions.
Just down the road meanwhile, on Monday morning, on Campoamor Golf course, in an area adjacent to the 1st hole, greenkeeping staff were burning prunings of their own which also looked to be spreading out of control as the golfers simply carried on completely oblivious to the flames less than 50 metres away.
On closer inspection the area affected was seemingly superintended by the golf course staff, a spokesman for whom said that there was never any danger of the fire spreading to the course, its surrounds or harming either staff or golfers.
