The forest fire forecasters in Ibiza have predicted a normal summer with a medium risk of danger to the island's forests. The prognosis is based on the heavy rainfall over last winter which means that the thousands of pine trees here are very 'green' and thus not so susceptible to fire.
With around half the island still covered in virgin forest it is vitally important to take care whilst out and about in the summer months. Last year an astonishingly low amount of forest was lost to
fire – only 2.43 hectares – though the causes of the fires remain statistically constant.
Half the island is still covered by virgin forest
Of all fires, around 30% are started intentionally, 50% by negligence, 8% by lightning and the rest by causes unknown.
Once a fire takes hold, the authorities really have a difficult job to extinguish it because of the inaccessibility of some areas by road which means that a special helicopter or planes have to be
called in to water bomb the fire.
So please be extra careful in the lovely Ibicenco countryside when you're here.