Marina Alta fire precautions start early

Fire-watching will start six weeks early in Denia this year.

The fire that destroyed 40 hectares of Montgo woodland has put the town hall on its guard, now that rain-starved vegetation and trees are as dry now as they would be in late August.

The discovery that the fire was deliberately started has prompted the town hall to take early fire-prevention measures that would normally start in July.

“We want to bring surveillance forward as much as possible and to start now if possible,” said Public Safety councillor Javier Ygarza. 

Volunteers keep watch at the Castle and Les Rotes, he explained.  “And ideally the regional government could lend a hand.”

“We had a lucky escape,” he said about the latest fire.  The wind was very strong when it started shortly after 3pm but died down as evening fell, while fire-fighting aircraft sufficient daylight hours to quench the flames.

Meanwhile, the town hall in neighbouring Javea announced that Proteccion Civil volunteers are also beginning surveillance sooner than usual this year on Montgo and the woodland areas of Granadella and Tossal Gros.