Auxiliadora Gámez calls for enhanced cleaning and maintenance of the natural space following the fire declared on Friday, which mobilised around fifty Infoca personnel.
The Mayor of Humilladero, Auxiliadora Gámez, has urgently requested on Monday a reinforcement of prevention and maintenance efforts in Sierrecilla, the green lung of the municipality, after the forest fire that broke out last Friday. The fire, which started in the early afternoon, was not stabilised until the early hours of Saturday, and was not declared extinguished until after 10:00 PM that same day.
A deployment of around fifty personnel
In the firefighting efforts, around fifty personnel from the Infoca Plan participated, supported by two ground-loading aircraft, a light helicopter, and two heavy helicopters. The rapid mobilisation prevented the flames from spreading to inhabited areas, although it caused significant alarm among residents.
Gámez described Friday as
“one of those days that no mayor wants to experience”and added:
“Seeing our Sierrecilla burn has been a very hard blow.”The mayor emphasised that this natural space
“is not just a natural space; it is the lung of Humilladero, part of our identity, and a place that we all have an obligation to protect.”
Thanks and a call for unity
The mayor expressed her gratitude to all the professionals who intervened during the emergency. In her message, she specifically mentioned Infoca, the Provincial Fire Consortium, the Civil Guard, the Local Police, municipal Operational Services, and Environmental Agents. “Thank you for your professionalism, your effort, and your commitment,” she stated.
Gámez also thanked the interest shown by the Government's subdelegate and the support received from the mayors of the region. Additionally, she acknowledged the residents of Humilladero:
“Thank you to all the residents who were present throughout the day, collaborating in everything you could, worrying about our mountain and helping at all times.”In her view,
“that affection, that unity, and that commitment to our town demonstrate, once again, the immense human quality of the people of Humilladero.”
Prevention as a priority
The mayor explained that she had a conversation with the territorial delegate of the Environment to convey the situation experienced during the fire and to reiterate the need to address the requests that the Town Hall has been making for years to improve the cleaning and maintenance of Sierrecilla. “We cannot resign ourselves to situations like this happening again. It is essential to act preventively to protect a natural heritage that belongs to everyone,” she concluded.
For the residents of Humilladero, the fire has served as a wake-up call about the need to care for a space they use daily for walking and exercising. The mayor has committed to raising the request to the Junta de Andalucía for increased funding for the cleaning of public mountains. Meanwhile, the Town Hall is considering allocating an extraordinary budget for clearing work before next summer.
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