Forest fires that burnt through Cantabria this weekend put out
Weather conditions help extinguish blazes, which may have been started deliberately
The 48 forest fires that were registered this past weekend in Cantabria have all been extinguished, leading to the fire-fighting plan that had been put in place by the regional government to be deactivated. Emergency response military personnel called in to fight the blazes have also stood down.
Meanwhile, in Asturias rainfall has brought down the number of active forest fires to 60, 33 of which were by Sunday night under control.
The blazes were started early on Saturday, and due to adverse meteorological conditions numbered at one point as many as 130. However, they have not caused any personal damage, although they did affect a number of properties. The center of one of the fires in Asturias suggested that they may have been set deliberately.
The worst-affected area in Cantabria was in Cabuérniga, in particular the municipality of Los Tojo, and the fire approached residential areas such as Uznayo (Polaciones) and La Cavada (Riotuerto).
While the amount of earth that has been burnt has not yet been confirmed, early estimations suggest that a large amount of forest has been razed, “with the economic damage that that will involve,” according to the regional government.
English version by Simon Hunter.
