Agenda21: On Burglaries, Black Flags, Parking, Pollution and Fires
Chris Jones
Fire in Nova Xàbia quickly controlled
August 10th
One of the biggest fears of these hot and dry summer months occurred on Tuesday evening when smoke was spotted rising from behind the hillock of Santa Llúcia. The blaze was reported at 4.45pm in the vicinity of Calle Lastres in Urbanisation Nova Xàbia and forced the evacuation of 14 houses in the area. The fire, which ultimately destroyed some two hectares, was attended by fire-fighting assets from the Bomberos, volunteers from the Protección Civil and ISVH Bomberos Balcón al Mar, Policía Local, Guardia Civil and Forestry Brigades as well as two helicopters and four planes. For full story see:Javeamigos.
Swimmers fined for bathing at the Arenal with a red flag
August 2nd
Xàbia made a pioneering move in Valencia by being the first municipality to fine people for bathing while a red flag was flying. In a week when seven people have lost their lives bathing off the coast in the Comunidad, the police fined two people on Monday, and a further three French tourists on Friday, for entering the sea while the danger flag was up. The bathers had ignored the flag, calls and gesticulations from the Red Cross on the shore and loud hailers. Eventually the lifeguards had to enter the sea to order the people out of the water, into the arms of the local police who issued the fines of 750 Euros. From: Levante (Ed's note: The Arenal beach has particularly dangerous rip currents. For general background to this see: Rip Currents - The oceans deadliest trick.
Huge forest fire in the Canaries
German man arrested after setting fire to toilet paper in woodland
August 5th
Around 2,500 people have been evacuated from their homes on the Canary island of La Palma as a fire that started on Wednesday is driven by high winds across dry woodland. On Thursday, a park ranger died while fighting the blaze, which police say was started by a 27-year-old German national who admitted he set fire to toilet paper after defecating in woodland. A resident of La Palma, his neighbors had reported him to the police on several occasions for petty theft. for full story see: El Pais in English
Stop the Fire !
August 4th
The Valencia is the second most likely region in Spain with to have forest fires. Over 90 percent of them are man-made: errors, negligence and arson. The president of the Generalitat, Ximo Puig has signed an agreement linking the Administration with the Valencian communication media to raise public awareness about measures that could prevent forest fires and their dire consequences. The campaign, under the slogan "Stop the foc ', aims to prevent the human causes, of these disasters. From Las Provincias
Every Drop Counts
August 4th
Amjasa has posted a video on Facebook promoting water conservation, with English subtitles:
Click here: Amjasa Video on Facebook to view
(Ed's note: unfortunately, I can't find a way to embed Facebook videos on this site, and it's not on Amjasa's Vimeo video channel, yet)
Xabia to restrict beach access next year
August 1st
The Mayor of Javea and Councillor for Tourism, José Chulvi, is planning ahead of the summer of 2017 to study the possibility of applying restrictions on access to the beaches of Xàbia, due to the large number of vehicles that converge on the coast during the summer months. In July the tourist occupation in the area has soared exceeding 80% and in August it is is expected to reach 100%. Chulvi said that the study of new measures at the entrances to the coastal area will be "the subject of a thorough debate in the Council of Tourism" in the coming months in order to reach consensus and be able to apply measures for the next summer season. From Las Provincias. In this regard, the town has already taken measures to limit car access and parking near Ambolo beach, see: Javeamigos
Xàbia local police catch two illegal fishermen
July 29th
Xàbia local police engaged in maritime surveillance have caught two Frenchmen illegally fishing from a boat in the Marine Reserve of the Cabo de San Antonio. The ploice initiated infringment proceedings and confiscated the fishing gear: spear guns, wetsuits and buoys. From Las Provincias
Four major forest fires in Castellón, Extremadura and Castilla y León
July 29th
Huge forest fires are burning out of control in the eastern and western extremes of the mainland, one of which has already wiped out over 1,000 hectares, or 10 million square metres. This is the second-worst of four major infernos spreading unstoppably, having flared up in Artana (Castellón province) in the east, probably as a result of a bonfire, early yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon. It has reached the edge of the Sierra de Espadán mountain nature reserve and is said to have two active fronts, but is some distance from the nearest residential area. Another dramatic blaze in the same region, in Tavernes de la Valldigna (Valencia province) broke out on Monday night, but was fully extinguished by mid-morning on Tuesday and did not affect any homes. For full story see: ThinkSpain
Soft Fruit exports take off in Spain
July 29th
Although the strawberry is still tops, it is gradually ceding to its rivals. Of all the berries, the cranberry has seen the steepest escalation in demand over the past four years, with exports rising by 138% in that time. Hard on its heels is the raspberry with a 129% increase, while blackberries have been subject to a more modest rise of 35%, according to the Spanish Federation of Associations of Producers and Exporters of Fruits, Vegetables, Flowers and Live Plants (FEPEX). Ironically, when it comes to eating them, Spaniards lag behind the rest of Europe and the United States. In 2015, 10% of Spain’s strawberry exports – amounting to 33,500 tons – went to Britain, along with 40% of its other berry exports, or 16,000 tons, making Britain one of the main importers of Spain’s berry produce.For full story see: El Pais in English
Xàbia plans to buy old Civil Guard barracks in Granadella to extend parking
July 30th
Parking in the Granadella Cove could be extended after the Xàbia town hall formally presented an offer to the Economy and tax ministry to buy a plot of land where a former barracks of the Guardia Civil (which acquired all the properties of the Carabineros after the service was dissolved in 1940) is located. The area of roughly 985 square metres would provide extra space for cars in an area which suffers major shortcomings in public parking facilities. For full story see: Javeamigos
Benitatxell distributes diffusors to reduce water consumption
July 30th
Benitatxell is giving away diffusors to fit to domestic taps to reduce water consumption. The residents needs only to present a water bill at the tourist office. Fitting the devices can reduce water consumption by 50%. The council invites all villagers to collect these devices so they can save while contributing to responsible water use. From XAD
The Med drowning in a sea of plastic
July 26th
The Mediterranean sea contains levels of floating plastic similar to those in the famous Atlantic and Pacific gyres, according to Andrés Cózar, a marine biologist and researcher at Spain's Cádiz University. And what’s more, Cózar says, the samples taken from the surface water could be “just the tip of the iceberg of plastic waste, less than one percent.” Large amounts of microplastics, he warns, are trickling down the food chain and to the sea bed. However Cózar remains optimistic because he feels that steps are being taken in the right direction. For full story see: El Pais in English
Hacienda discovers 1.7 million unregistered houses and house improvements
July 26th
Spain’s tax office has discovered 1.69 million homes that have failed to pay adequate taxes thanks to an extensive air operation using satellites and drones. The unmanned aerial vehicles revealed improvements to people’s houses that they had failed to declare to the tax office, such as extensions and swimming pools. The unprecedented investigation, which began in 2014 has generated extra takings of €1.3 ($1.4 billion) for the Land Value Tax (Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles). Spain’s tax office estimates that the fraud occurred in as many as 8.9 percent of the houses registered on Spain’s municiple registers, or padrónes. For full story see: The Local
Denia gets two "Black Flags" for beach water pollution
July 26th
The organisation "Ecologistes en Acció del País Valencià" has given the Denia beaches of Punta dels Molins and Punta del Raset black flags for their waters exceeding legal pollution levels. The same organisation also analyses the situation with sewage treatment works and has given 42 black flags to water treatment works throughout the region - which do not meet parameters established by the European directive 91/271. This list includes the Xàbia sewerage plant. From: La Marina Plaza
Denia and the University of Alicante to set up environmental and marine research centre in the Mongó Natural Park.
July 26th
The objective of the research centre is to conduct research, development and innovation, education, counseling, outreach and awareness in the environmental field. The official name of the research centre is ESCIMO-Dénia, (Estación científica Montgó-Dénia) and it will be based in the House of IRYDA, in the natural park Montgó. The University of Alicante will develop activities of interest to both institutions, including studies related to protected natural areas in the municipality of Dénia, such as the natural park of Montgó and Marine reserve of the Cap de Sant Antoni, as well as environmental resources such as water both fresh and marine and other aspects with value to quality of life such as tourism, landscape, natural attractions and bathing water. The renewable agreement will be valid for five years and Denia will support the research with an annula payment of not less than €10,000 per year. From: La Marina Plaza
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Cullen Hightower