In Málaga, over 94% of wildfires have been caused by human activity. This figure was highlighted by Antonio Sanz, the first vice president and councillor for the Presidency, Health and Emergencies, during the meeting of the Regional Advisory Committee of the Infoca Plan.
The meeting, held at the Palacio de San Telmo in Seville, addressed the challenging fire campaign, which has resulted in a provisional total of 842 interventions. Of these, 516, or 61.3%, turned out to be minor incidents, where the fire did not exceed one hectare.
Investigation and sanctions
Sanz reported that the National Police Unit assigned to Andalucía investigated 54 fires, clarifying 53 of them and arresting 27 individuals. Additionally, reports of risky behaviour in forest areas have increased, with over 14,000 reports recorded during this campaign.
Although the high-risk period has ended, the councillor warned that the medium-risk period is underway, which will continue until the end of October. During this time, burning in forest areas requires prior authorization.
Fire campaign and future planning
The vice president assessed the campaign, which took place under extreme and exceptional weather conditions, affecting not only Andalucía but also other regions in Spain and Europe. This has created a new scenario for fire management, necessitated by faster fires and multiple threats to the population.
The upcoming addition of a rescue helicopter from November will enhance the response to emergency situations, being a resource that has not been available for the past 13 years.
During this period, 6,444 people were evacuated to ensure their safety from fire and smoke. The collaboration between different administrations and emergency services was also highlighted as key to tackling the challenging campaign.
Antonio Sanz concluded his remarks by remembering those who lost their lives during the campaign and reaffirming the importance of collective effort in the fight against wildfires.
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