A FIRE, described by Spanish national television news as the first forest fire in Spain this year, left 120 hectares (300 acres) of mountainside blackened last week. The fire in the area of Sierra Cabrera known as Los Murtales, about five km East of Cortijo Grande golf course, started at about 1.00 pm and was brought under control by 9.00 pm, with the residents of cortijo 'Los Alemanes' having to be evacuated when the flames came within 300 metres of their home. The area burnt was one of low lying vegetation and scrubland although there was some concern that it could spread to a nearby pine forest, one of the few remaining forests in the Levante area.
The alarm was raised by residents in the area calling the emergency 112 telephone number, provoking the mobilisation of fire fighting services not only from Turre but also from a large area of the Levante coast. The fire was extinguished due to the efforts of three fire engines with seven fire-fighters from the Turre fire station and a response force from Infoca (the Andalucian forest fire prevention and response scheme) which included 74 fire-fighters under the supervision of seven technicians and an environmental protection agent, four pump vehicles, earth moving machinery, seven helicopters and four planes. The efforts of the firefighters were hampered by high winds which changed direction several times during the afternoon, but due to the long daylight hours the helicopters and planes were able to work continuously for five hours dropping water or fire retardant every four minutes.
A local man was arrested only 48 hours after the fire for the presumed crime of starting a forest fire. Evidence suggests that the fire started as a result of negligence during the burning of agricultural waste.
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