Worst forest fire of the year under control in Soller

Although the fire, which broke out in the early hours of yesterday morning, has been brought under control, firemen will be on duty all day today and tomorrow, in case it springs up again.

Between seven and eight hectares of woodland have been destroyed, according to Joana Xamena, the director general of biodiversity, who said it was the worst fire so far this year.

All the fire fighting planes and helicopters were called out to the fire although by yesterday afternoon, just one helicopter was on duty, flying over the area to alert the fire fighters of any new outbreaks.

More than 60 firefighters from Ibanat (Balearic Nature Institute) and the Council of Majorca were involved in tackling the blaze.
Xamena said that olive trees which were hundreds of years old had been destroyed, as had many pine trees.
The Guardia Civil are investigating the cause of the fire, but arson is not suspected.
In Inca, the owenrs of a nursery garden had permission to light a controlled bonfire to burn organic waste but it got out of control and spread to a pile of rubber tyres, causing a thick cloud of smoke, which could be seen for several kilometres.

Members of the civil defence team of Lloseta and the local police rushed to the nursery, on Cami de Can Botana, and they were joined shortly afterwards by firefighters from Inca and the Council of Majorca.

The fire was brought under control rapidly and extinguished within two hours.
And in Santanyi, a stolen car was set on fire on a country road.
The fire was spotted by an Ibanat helicopter, and extinguished by members of the Council of Majorca fire brigade.
Earlier this week, eight boats moored at the S'Estanyol yacht club in Llucmajor were destroyed in a fire, which caused 2.4 million euros worth of damage.