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Article: Business capitalises on Spain's forest fires
- Article from:
- The Independent (London, England)
- Article date:
- September 3, 1995
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 1995 The Independent - London. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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EVERY year Spain's dry summers produce forest fires, and this
is a bumper season. The fires, which have destroyed a fifth of
Spain's woodland since 1975, create not only environmental
devastation but an opportunity for big business.
The summer's biggest blaze so far was subdued on Friday only
after it had raged for a week near the Mediterranean town of
Tarragona and destroyed 12,500 acres of woodland. In the densely
wooded province of Galicia, 600 fires broke out last Sunday and
another 300 during the week, engulfing the port of Vigo in smoke
and ash.
Perhaps half are started by accident, like the car crash that
sparked the Tarragona blaze. But up to 50 per cent are started
deliberately - ...