By Ciaran Mcgrath
Wildfires have also been raging in Huelva in the south-west of Spain
Firefighters battled a total of 11 separate wildfires (click here) which erupted in the space of just six hours in the Spanish region of Valencia, with thousands evacuated and nine dead nationwide in a further illustration of continent-wide tinderbox conditions
And authorities admitted they were concerned about two specific municipalities, Llutxent and Tuéjar, where fire crews were struggling to bring the flames under control.
A total of 2,500 people were evacuated at midnight, from the La Drova, Montepino and Montesol de Gandia areas as a preventive measure after concerns about high levels of smoke....
The change in the voracity of the fires have caused Spain to reassess their laws and government intervention to fight fires earlier and with more intense equipment.
9 April 2018
By Juan Jose Mateo
The Infoca helicopter team fights the fire at Riotinto.
Aerial firefighters (click here) have just been given the chance to smother wildfires more effectively. Ahead of the prevention campaign this summer, legislation exempting air tankers from complying with standard rest periods has been tweaked, according to the Official State Bulletin (BOE). The amendment means they can now work up to three consecutive hours, as opposed to two, a welcome change in the wake of one of the worst years for forest fires since 2010.
According to the Official College of Pilots (COPAC), however, the amendment does not go far enough. “This is a partial and transitional measure,” says a spokesman for COPAC. “We believe a complete revision of the legislation is necessary. The current legislation is ambiguous, out of date and has little to do with the reality of aerial firefighting operations, either with regard to safety or putting out the fire. An adequate legislative framework with reference to activity and rest times is a fundamental safety measure for professionals who are carrying out a basic public service.”
In 2017, there were almost 800 forest fires in Spain, according to provisional data from the Ministry of Agriculture. During the summer alone, fire devoured almost 105,000 hectares of forest and fires in Doñana, Valencia, Galicia and Asturias, destroying the natural habitat of much of the local fauna....
