20% fires last year were agricultural

ONE in five fires attended by the Malaga Fire Department last year was agricultural.

Of the 2,981 fires, 573 broke out on agricultural land.

One of the main causes is ‘controlled’ bonfires getting out of hand.

With a forecasted ‘hot and dry’ summer, prevention measures are being discussed with farmers to reduce the number of fires this year, according to the Malaga Provincial Fire Department’s president, Abdeslam Lucena.

Outside of agricultural fires, there were 225 fires in homes, 185 in rubbish containers and 175 forest fires, among other types.

Meanwhile, the total number of fires last year is 14.5 per cent less than the 3,487 fires in 2010.