World famous holiday island it may be, but 50% of Ibiza is still covered by virgin forest which in the hot dry summer is in great danger of being consumed by fire.
To look after the large areas of trees – about 85% are pine and 10% sabina – an army of 378 operatives from Ibanat, the Balearic Institute of Health, are on red alert. They're on constant
patrol of the wooded areas and have vantage points on the highest hills in San Jose, San Lorenzo, San Juan, Corb Marí, Torre de es Camp Vell and San Vicente, from where fires can be spotted
easily.
Should a fire break out, the Ibanat 'brigades' have their own fire trucks and can call on a specially adapted helicopter and a plane based in Pollença in Mallorca which can scoop up seawater in
special tanks to drench the fire.
Hopefully, if people are careful in these precious natural areas, and with the vigilance of the Ibanat 'army,' incidents like the raging infernos in the Canary Islands just days ago will be
avoided.