The area of Western Malaga closes the summer with a forest fire declaredor last Wednesday night in Sierra Bermeja, which has been “contained” after 9:00 p.m. this Thursday, affects the municipalities of Estepona, Genalguacil and Jubrique and It has been settled in 24 hours with the death of a forest firefighter, more than 2,200 hectares affected and the eviction of 1,004 people.
The mayor of Genalguacil, Miguel Ángel Herrera, has asked the Junta de Andalucía requesting the activation of the Military Emergency Unit (UME) which has one of its bases in Morón. The councilor has made this request after several reproductions were produced without the Infoca staff being able to attend. “We continue to ask for support. They have no means. Why is the UME not activated? We cannot be alone! ”, He pointed out. After that, he has demanded the presence of the military to help contain the flames.
As reported by Infoca, at 9:15 p.m. this Thursday the state of the fire was “contained”, that is, “it is within the perimeter and the situation is not progressing” so “it is more favorable”, while they have pointed out that “with a little drop in temperature we will have a profitable night for iTry to have it contained and that tomorrow it can stabilize ”.
During the day of this Thursday they have participated in the forest fire extinguishing device of the Infoca Plan “up to 300 land personnel” and “up to 29 air personnel”, the latter retiring in the “sunset”, around 8:45 p.m., and that They will join tomorrow, Friday at 8:30 p.m., have pointed out from the Andalusian service.
To the difficult orography of the terrain, which presents very steep slopes, the strong strong west wind in the area, which has made tasks difficult, as indicated by the Infoca Extinction Directorate. On the ground they continue to work during the night “280 professionals” and “12 fire trucks”, have specified from the Andalusian service. Among the mobilized troops are professionals from the Infoca Provincial Operational Centers (COP) of Cádiz, Córdoba, Granada, Jaén and Seville, as well as those from the province of Malaga.
On the other hand, the GREA has deployed an Advanced Command Post (PMA) at the site, from where, together with the Forest Fire Outpost (PAIF), the tasks of coordination, protection of the population and extinction, in addition to coordination meetings between representatives of the different operational services involved in the emergency.
Another part of the day this Thursday has been the eviction of more than a thousand people, which have been evacuated from their homes in different parts of the country, specifically 1,004 evicted, as reported by the Emergency Service 112 from the social network Twitter. Of those affected, 750 are residents of the Forest Hill and Las Abejeras de Esteopna urbanizations, 37 from the disseminated Peñas Blancas, 12 in the area known as Charca de la Foreigner, 60 in Huerta Padrón and 65 in Río Velerín, all of them in Estepona.
Have also been evicted this afternoon the clients who have visited the Selwo Aventura park, as well as the people who were staying in the cabins for tourist accommodation that the space has. Meanwhile, in the municipality of Benahavís was authorized in the morning the eviction of the Montemayor Alto urbanization, with 80 evacuees, before the forecast that the intensity of the wind would blow with greater virulence towards the area throughout the afternoon.
On Estepona has been enabled the Pabellón del Carmen to care for the victims and the Red Cross has been deployed to provide 50 beds, 100 toilet kits and 100 anticovid kits. Today only about thirty evacuees have used this facility. In Benahavís, the City Hall assembly hall has been set up for people who need it.
As highlighted by Infoca, the latest official figure of hectares affected is “1,260”, although the media point to more than 2,200 of pine forest among other trees, grass and scrub. According to the professor in Physical Geography at the University of Malaga, José Damián Ruiz, the ecosystem affected by the Sierra Bermeja fire will be able to recover in a period between 7 and 15 years due to the “resilience” of the terrain.
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, has expressed his condolences to the family of the forest firefighter who died, which tHe was 44 years old and was originally from Almería.
In a message published on the social network Twitter, picked up by Europa Press, the chief executive has highlighted “the dedication, dedication and courage of forest firefighters “ in a task, he stressed, that “is commendable.” “My hug, and the solidarity of the entire Government, with the family and colleagues of the Plan INFOCA firefighter who today died while participating in the extinction of the Sierra Bermeja fire. Rest in Peace ”, he highlighted.
The President of the Junta de Andalucía, Juanma Moreno, tonight he offered his condolences to the family of the deceased, a forest firefighter who worked in the extinction work. “Very sorry. It is a huge disgrace. My hug to his family and his colleagues at Infoca“, has highlighted in their social networks. For their part, the troops working in the area have come to say that “This is hell”.
The delegate of the Government of the Board in Malaga, Patricia Navarro, activated, at 3:34 a.m. on Thursday, level 1 of the Forest Fire Emergency Plan of the Autonomous Community (Infoca Plan) in the province of Malaga. This level is activated in those fires that, being able to be controlled with the means of extinction foreseen in the Plan, sand foresees, due to its possible evolution, the need to implement measures for the protection of people and non-forest assets. In addition, the Estepona Municipal Emergency Plan (PEM) has been activated.