Forest Fires in Spain ...

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More than 300 firefighters have been tackling fires, raging across forest and shrub land areas, over the weekend, in Javea, which is just down the coast from us in Spain. Up to 65 fire fighting vehicles, are being used, in the efforts to bring the blaze under control. Aircraft are also being used to dump water on the area. We used to watch the fire fighting planes, pick up the water in great big buckets, when we lived near a local dam / reservoir, but they must be using another reservoir as ‘our reservoir ‘ is nearly empty, because of the lack of rain for the last 3 years..., and, although they do not always hit the news, there have been 13 other wildfires in spain this year alone..., causing the loss and damage to over 1,200 acres of land. Homes have been destroyed, as well as tinder dry forest and shrub land, more than 1,000 people have been evacuated from the area. Safe areas have been set up, for shelter and food and drink, as well as people taking refuge with family, friends, and locals in un - affected areas. The situation was not helped by local winds on the day, that helped fan the fire, and spread the flames. Follow the link for some pictures from the BBC of the affected areas... Sadly it is thought that the fires were set deliberately, by some youths... When interviewed by the BBC, a local resident said, The mood is one of the "British, stiff upper lip" and that of the "laid-back Spanish attitude" Up to now... there have not been any reports of any loss of human life... but, sadly ... I doubt the same can be said for the wildlife, , the people that did this can have no respect for human, animals or wildlife, and I hope they find the people that did it.