High risk of wildfires awareness campaign launched in Costa del Sol town

Due to its climate and natural characteristics, Mijas on Spain's Costa del Sol presents a high risk of wildfires, especially during the summer months. Moreover, the town is included in the danger zones for the risk of forest fires in Andalucía. For this reason, the town hall has once again launched an information and awareness campaign to warn visitors and prepare residents.

"The campaign features everyday scenes alongside the devastating effects of wildfires as a way to raise awareness about the serious consequences they cause. In Mijas, unfortunately, we have suffered fires that have caused a lot of damage and irreparable consequences for our natural environment. Prevention is the best tool," said mayor Ana Mata.

The councillor for fire and civil protection, Francisco Jerez, highlighted the importance of public involvement. "Every summer we face a real and very high risk. Although we have great professionals and means of response, the most effective tool continues to be prevention from the start. And that depends, to a large extent, on the residents and visitors of Mijas. An oversight, an imprudence, can unleash a tragedy," he said.

"It's not just about complying with the rules, it's about being aware of the environment we live in and acting responsibly. This campaign seeks to do just that: to appeal to each person's conscience to protect what belongs to everyone," said the councillor.

'Let only the sun shine this summer, not the flames from the fires', 'Sparks of happiness that are not destroyed by fire' and 'Live a dazzling summer from start to finish' are the three messages around which the initiative is articulated. They are accompanied by images of everyday summer life that convey how a small gesture can cause a fire with irreversible consequences. The campaign will be rolled out in both English and Spanish.

For this reason, for the first time, Mijas town hall has put out to tender the maintenance of the mountain range with the aim of ensuring that the forest mass is in the best possible condition. The budget for the contract, valid until 2029, including necessary extensions, is 1,217,715.13 euros (IVA sales tax included).

The work covered by the contract includes silvicultural treatment, clearing, thinning, pruning (including the elimination of invasive species), reforestation and conservation, maintenance and improvement of forestry infrastructures. The area of action will be the Sierra Blanca and Bermeja and technical criteria will always be followed when carrying out the work.

In general, operations will take place from Monday to Friday, spread over eight-month campaigns from 1 October to 31 May.

From 1 June to 15 October, a series of express bans have been established by the Junta de Andalucía to prevent fires. This includes the use of fire and the transit of motor vehicles in forest areas and in their area of influence (including riverbanks and streams), i.e. in a strip of 400 metres around these areas.

Barbecues are not allowed, not even in designated spots, such as recreational or camping areas. In addition, burning of agricultural or vegetable waste is banned. In fact, all barbecues in the El Esparragal park in Mijas have been sealed off as a preventive measure.