Our last blog finished with tales of early afternoon stubble burning. As we set off down to the lakeside restaurant for dinner, we looked up at the tall mountains behind us and saw fairly high flames leaping up at the very top.
It wasn't very widespread and smoke was minimal, so we guessed it was dying down. On returning to our hotel in the pitch dark, we now saw a necklace of bright orange and red flames that had marched a long way down the mountain and was heading straight for our village.
We raised our concern at the hotel but the staff just smiled and nodded (was it our Spanish our really not a problem?). Thus assured we headed to their log fire in the sitting room and a glass of wine. HJ suggested not buying a bottle just in case we had to evacuate quickly. After a second glass, we decided to take one last look outside before retiring. That was a mistake as the wall of flame had literally surrounded the village.
We walked up to the town square where many locals were gathered, nodding at each other and we got the impression that this was not totally normal. We did retire to bed but HJ couldn't sleep, so donning jackets we returned to the square and watched as trees and bushes caught fire and spread the flames ever nearer. By now the fire brigade had arrived although one tender and two men would be like throwing a bucket of water at it.
The wind has now got up and started to sweep the direction of the fire around the mountain and away from our village. Eventually, breathing sighs of relief we decided to return to our hotel at 11pm to find the gates had been locked. HJ then used her "pass key" i.e. shouting "hola" and rattling the gates loudly. After a few of these, a torch beam found us and the gates were unlocked and we slept soundly.
It wasn't very widespread and smoke was minimal, so we guessed it was dying down. On returning to our hotel in the pitch dark, we now saw a necklace of bright orange and red flames that had marched a long way down the mountain and was heading straight for our village.
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| Taken from the local square |
We walked up to the town square where many locals were gathered, nodding at each other and we got the impression that this was not totally normal. We did retire to bed but HJ couldn't sleep, so donning jackets we returned to the square and watched as trees and bushes caught fire and spread the flames ever nearer. By now the fire brigade had arrived although one tender and two men would be like throwing a bucket of water at it.
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| The fire rages on |
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| The morning after the night before |
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