Nearly 14,000 hectares of vegetation ravaged by flames and 1,700 people evacuated in five different municipalities.

This is the result of a fire that broke out on July 18 in Spain, probably caused by… a reforestation company.

A subcontractor from the Dutch company Land Life was carrying out excavation work that day, in the midst of a heat wave, reports

RTBF

.

"While a contractor was carrying out forest restoration work in the area, a spark from a bulldozer ignited the fire," the company said in a statement.

Recommendations not respected

Because of the heat wave, the regional government had nevertheless recommended not to carry out this type of work to limit the risks.

Land Life defended itself on this point, ensuring that it had all the necessary authorizations and that it had taken the appropriate precautions.

“They are going to reforest 200 hectares and burn at least 1,000 50-year-old pines”, declared, furious, the mayor of the municipality of Bubierca, particularly affected by the fire, quoted by

Slate

.

This is unfortunately not a first for Land Life.

On June 20, the company already caused a 20-hectare fire by carrying out work in another area.

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  • Fire

  • Spain

  • Forest

  • Deforestation

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  • World