ARCHIVED - Third of fires in Catalonia caused by discarded cigarette butts

The regional government calls for caution in the wake of a series of blazes in recent weeks.

The Catalonian government has warned that 33 per cent of forest and shrub fires over the last 10 years have been caused by cigarette butts carelessly thrown from car windows.

And following a huge blaze at Cap de Creus natural park in Gerona on Sunday, believed to have been started by a discarded cigarette end, Interior Minister, Joan Ignasi Elena, has urged smokers to exercise responsibility and "caution" to avoid further incidents.

Criticising the "extreme irresponsibility of some people", she said "it's this attitude that has given rise to a third of fires across the region over the last decade", adding that it was only due to fire protection strips - constructed to delay and prevent the spread of fire - that the blaze in Cap de Creus did not spread further. 

More than 350 people had to be evacuated from their homes in nearby urbanisations, and the charred landscape will reportedly take up to four years to recover after flames destroyed 415.6 hectares of trees and vegetation, despite the efforts of dozens of firefighters and military personnel.

Cap de Creus Natural Park has witnessed at least four major fires since 2000, when an area of ​​6,500 hectares went up in flames.

IMAGE: Bombers