The professor in Physical Geography at the University of Malaga (UMA), José Damián Ruiz Sinoga, declared this Thursday that the ecosystem affected by the Sierra Bermeja fire may recover in a period between 7 and 15 years due to the “resilience” of the terrain.
The fire, which was declared last Wednesday night, affects the municipalities of Jubrique, Genalguacil and Estepona, continues to be active and At the moment it has burned some 2,200 hectares of pine forest among other trees, grass and scrub.
According to the expert, The ecological value of the area is “a lot” as it presents “an important biodiversity“And with” many Mediterranean species “, although in his opinion the fire will not suppose an irreversible damage to the being “the very resilient ecosystems”, but it has specified that what “really is irreversible in the fire is the human life that has been lost”.
This term refers to “The ability of the ecosystem to rebuild itself in the face of external aggression“, Explained the professor, who has indicated that the” wind speed “will influence the effect on plant species, and”if it goes fast, it will not have affected the roots ”, has underlined.
Ruiz Sinoga stressed that despite being “a disaster”, all scrub species “will recover in a very important part around 7 and 8 years“, While that the arboreal ones will do so in a period comprised “between 10 and 15”.
Among the advantages of the current situation, he has qualified that “The fire is going fast and it is not bad news”, given that “It is burning and not calcining”, so if this circumstance occurs “the roots of the trees are still alive and an important part can be recovered.” It is not the case of the affected scrub, which “will have been burned”.
Thus, it has valued that the recovery of the species will depend “on the first rains”In the case of the scrub, while in the arboreal will depend “on the speed of the fire”, since if the wind is slow, it “burns” and “takes everything ahead”, but “if it goes fast, it affects little to the roots and it is possible to think of a recovery”.