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WORLD NEWS Monday 26 June 2017

Forest fire in Spain threatens renowned national park

By JOSEPH WILSON their mix of ecosystems, of the Andalucia’s forest
Associated Press including wetlands, dunes fire prevention unit, said
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) and woods. It is a key stop the fight was “in its critical
— A forest fire in southern for migratory birds home to phase” due to strong winds
Spain forced the evacua- a variety of animals, includ- whipping up the flames.
tion of at least 1,000 people ing about a fifth of the 400 “Right now the fire is devel-
and threatened a national remaining Iberian lynxes. oping how we expected.
park famous for its biodiver- Ecologists who work in the The wind is shifting, gaining
sity and endangered spe- park are concerned that strength, which is normal as
cies, authorities said Sun- the fire could wipe out we get to the afternoon,”
day. some of the area’s prized Sanchez said. “We are
The fire started on Satur- species and terrain. managing it, but a change
day night on Spain’s south- “We are worried because in the direction of the wind
ern coast, then advanced the impact could be could alter the situation.”
east to reach the Donana huge,” Carlos Molina, an Susana Diaz, the regional A sign indicating the beach for the Parador Hotel sits in a burned
Nature Reserve, one of the ornithologist who works in- president of Andalusia, out area after a forest fire near Mazagon in southern Spain, Sun-
country’s most important side the reserve, told The said no people have died day June 25, 2017.
wildlife sanctuaries and a Associated Press by phone in the blaze and “there’s Associated Press
UNESCO World Heritage from his home nearby. no risk to the population” Juan Ignacio Zoido, said damage to a minimum.”
site since 1994. “Donana is probably one after about 1,000 were from a control post near The fire comes a week af-
“The fire has entered in of the most important ar- evacuated from campsites the fire that since “we are ter wildfires killed 64 people
the limits of the reserve, eas for birds in all of Europe, and houses near the town taking special measures, in neighboring Portugal,
and that is where we are and we just happen to be of Moguer, where the fire even though the wind is which like Spain is suffering
focusing our efforts,” Jose in a nesting season for sev- started on Saturday night. pushing the fire toward from a lack of rain and high
Gregorio Fiscal Lopez from eral species,” Molina said. Diaz said fighting the fire (the reserve) to keep the temperatures.q
the regional Andalusian While Molina said the re- was proving difficult due to
authority in charge of the serve’s endangered Ibe- hot, dry weather, with tem-
environment told Spanish rian imperial eagle should peratures reaching 39 de-
national television. not be in danger, the area grees Celsius (102 degrees
The reserve protects over in immediate threat from Fahrenheit), and shifting
107,000 hectares (264,403 the fire is territory for the ex- winds. Over 550 firefighters,
acres) considered of ex- tremely endangered lynx. soldiers and police officers
treme ecological value for Juan Sanchez, director supported by 21 air units
were combating the blaze
Sunday.
“It’s still very early, but we
are not ruling out the hu-
man factor” as a possible
cause of the fire, said Diaz.
Spain’s interior minister,