remains with active parts and the affected area so far has increased to about 400 hectares, as confirmed by official sources. Although the acting Andalusian Minister of Health, Presidency and Emergencies, Antonio Sanz, insisted this Monday that the fire was “confined”, the Board has asked the Government for more aerial means to try to contain the flames. The Ministry for the Ecological Transition (Miteco) has transferred two high-capacity seaplanes to the area in addition to the helicopter that was already carrying out extinction tasks.
The president of the Doñana Participation Council, Enrique Mateos, has assured this newspaper that the situation is worrying, as is any fire that occurs in a space with the environmental values of Doñana, and has highlighted that it is affecting an enclave of incalculable ecological value, also considered one of the most protected areas of the National Park. Mateos has indicated that the fire is limited by natural elements that make its expansion difficult.
Among the damaged areas are landscapes as representative of the natural space as the corrals and preserves of the Marismillas estate. This was stated by the SEO/BirdLife spokesperson in Doñana, Carlos Dávila, who stressed that there will be time to accurately evaluate the impact of the fire, clarify responsibilities and adopt the necessary preventive measures to avoid new fires.
However, Dávila now wanted to focus the message on recognition of the extinction operation. “We want to send a message of support to all the people who have been risking their lives for many hours in extinguishing the flames and preserving Doñana,” he stated.
Throughout the morning of this Tuesday, 10 aerial means will be incorporated in a phased manner: seven helicopters – three heavy, two semi-heavy and two light -, two heavy amphibious aircraft and one heavy helicopter – the Miteco means -, according to the information. Just 12 hours before, Sanzde withdrew the extinguishing work of the dozen aircraft that at that time were trying to put out the flames in the area known as Rincón el Membrillo, due to the arrival of dusk. During the night, ground teams made up of 130 troops and six fire engines continued working on the ground.
At that time, the reactivations compromised the work and safety of the leading resources and heavy machinery had to be used to open a control line before the advance of the flames, although slowly, which burned the ground intensely due to the accumulation of fuel. The growth rate of the fire has been about 20 or 30 hectares per hour, until reaching 400 hectares of burned surface.
The fire was limited to the dunes, the beach and the marsh, throughout this Monday, with activity only on the left and right flanks. Its location, in the heart of the Doñana national park, which the counselor barely alludes to in his interventions and messages on social networks – he refers to the fire as “Almonte 2” – has forced the return route of those returning through the province of Cádiz to be altered. Yesterday a meeting was held with them to establish the route parallel to the beach and prevent them from taking risks due to the tasks of extinguishing the flames.
The Andalusian Government is also working to determine how the fire was caused. The area, the day, the time and the coincidence of several sources in the environment – shortly before this fire started another fire had been extinguished in Doñana, in the area known as Corral de Félix – make the origin “striking and suspicious”, according to the acting counselor. During yesterday afternoon the smoke caused by the flames was visible from the entire Huelva coast and even in points of the Cadiz province, such as Chipiona.
