#wildfire 2017

[tyrenopanz]

Same bridge. Both shot in 2017. Left pic is mine. Right pic is unknown to me. RIP

[thursdayfilebuzz]

Photo I: Flames near Mazagón in Huelva province in southern Spain. - by Julián Pérez // Photo II: A woman cries on seeing the fire near Mazagón (Huelva). - by Cristina Quicler // Photo III: The blaze burns near Moguer (Huelva) on Sunday night. // Photo IV: An Iberian lynx is released into the wild in Toledo. - by Luis Suarez / Photo V: Iberian Lynx Breeding Centre --- Wildfire threatens Spain’s Unesco World Heritage Doñana national park Hundreds of firefighters tackling blaze that has forced thousands out of their homes and hotels Manuel Planelles on Twitter, Raúl Limón on Twitter, Javier Martín-Arroyo - Seville / Moguer / Madrid - 26 June 26, 2017 - http://elpais.com A wildfire that broke out on Saturday night near Doñana National Park, in southern Spain, still had two active fronts on Monday despite efforts by hundreds of firefighters and volunteers to protect a natural area of incalculable value that is a Unesco World Heritage Site and a Biosphere Reserve. Around 2,000 people were evacuated in the popular tourist destination of Mazagón, in the southwestern province of Huelva, where they spent the night inside makeshift accommodation or out on the beach. Another 50,000 were forced to remain for several hours in Matalascañas due to roads being blocked for safety reasons. “At one in the morning [on Saturday night] they evacuated us in a rush. Everyone ended up on the beach,” said José María Arce, who came here with his family from the northern Spanish province of Burgos on a 12-day vacation, and who is now considering canceling what is left of that stay. Tourists were forced out of Parador de Mazagón, a state-run luxury hotel, as well as the Solvasa hotel and two campsites, Doñana and Cuesta de la Barca. Also evacuated were all the personnel at the National Air and Space Technical Institute (INTA) and 500 or so immigrants who live at the Las Madres settlement and work in nearby greenhouses. “People were getting into their cars and fleeing in the direction of the fire. It was complete mayhem,” added Manola Sanabria, another affected visitor. “They sent us to the sports center, but it was filled with smoke.” Dead lynx Authorities suspect that the fire, which broke out at a spot five kilometers from the boundary of the huge Doñana reserve, did not start naturally. Strong winds with gusts of up to 90 kilometers an hour pushed the flames through an area filled with greenhouses and towards the national park, which is home to one of the few existing populations of the endangered Iberian lynx. A lynx conservation center situated in the park was evacuated as well. Workers at El Acebuche captive breeding center were able to take 14 specimens with them, including five cubs, and released 13 others into the wild before vacating the building. On Sunday night, the Spanish Environment Ministry told the news agency Efe that the animals had been relocated, without specifying where. But one female named Homer died as a result of stress during her capture and transportation away from the breeding center. “There are extremely strong gusts of wind. The teams are securing the perimeter, but they move at one kilometer per hour, and the fire is advancing at three or four kilometers an hour,” said a spokesman for Infoca, the Andalusian government’s fire management service, on Sunday. Around 550 firefighters were deployed in the area, where they focused on stopping the flames from reaching inhabited land. “Everything is coming together to give this fire the looks of a catastrophe,” said Miguel Delibes, chairman of the Doñana Participation Council. By early Monday, according to regional authorities, there were two active fronts left but a perimeter had been established around them. The Andalusian environment commissioner, José Fiscal, said that “the outlook is good” and that they hope to have the fire under control sometime on Monday. -------------------------- Steven H MacDowall Why not take a moment and sign up to the Thursday File, my blog www.thursdayfile.com