A forest fire engulfed canes, vegetation and the low mountain slopes in a 5,000 metre area between Cieza and Abrarán, el Menjú, on Sunday afternoon.
El Menjú was once full of idyllic gardens and prosperous country houses on the banks of the river Segura but has since fallen into decay with ruins, abandoned gardens and broken irrigation ditches and rubbish tips.
Three emergency helicopters and local fire brigades brought the fire under control within an hour and saved the nearby natural park. The fire started in the inaccessible terrain of San Pablo.
In 2005 this beautiful area was destroyed by a forest fire and since then there have been several small fires in the area.
