«The Mayor feels it is inappropriate to hold a concert when people are risking their lives to save the monte.»
With the flames on San Miguel as a backdrop and with these words the Classical Concert in the Castle Theatre tonight was cancelled.
It was around 8pm tonight that something or someone caused a fire on the skirts of San Miguel. There was a clear circle of fire around the base of the hill and the winds soon wafted the flames upwards.
A lone helicopter desperately shed its load of water on the chapel at the top of San Miguel but it appears these efforts were in vain as the flames licked the top of the hill.
Spectators at the concert had already accepted the loss of San Miguel, recently replanted and thriving. It also seemed a «given» that the fire had been set deliberately.
«Its always at this time because they know the helicopters can´t fly for long,» seemed to be a general consensus.
As the spectators trickled back down the hill from the theatre to the town the flames seemed to be devouring San Miguel.
There are fire fighters on the hill and they will stay there throughout the night, trying to contain and control the fire.
It was in their name and for the tragedy that is the loss of one of Calasparra´s most emblematic beauty spots that the young musicians, who had been rehearsing all week, went home without playing a note.
Once again there was consensus: » We just don´t feel we could enjoy the music» was the common sentiment was the crowd set off home.
What will tomorrow bring? The fire was burning all over and around the skirts of Mont Miguel at about 11pm. There is little or no hope of controlling it tonight. There will be many residents living in the areas near the area who will not sleep tonight some have already been evacuated as a precaution.
This is already a disaster but lets hope they send a brigade of helicopters tomorrow in order to protect people´s homes and salvage what little they can of Mount Miguel.
