The "burning season" has opened in Andalucia. In order to burn garden waste, scrub and clippings you need a permit obtainable free of charge from your local town hall.
The start date was November 1st, so I made sure I applied for my licencia in good time.
My Story
My home is in Fuente de la Higuera, a pedania in the campo outside Ronda (Malaga) where I have lived for the last 14 years. It's right across the road from the Foreign Legion barracks.
My finca has a large garden and a 10,000 m2 field. Over the last 12 months I have accumulated a lot of material for burning.
My gardener, who used to take care of the burning, has been conspicuous by his absence lately, so it was down to me for the first time ever in 14 years.
November 1st, 2025
This is a fiesta nacional in Spain - Dia de todos los Santos (All Saints Day) - and none of my neighbours lit fires, but the following day, Sunday, they all did.
Taking my lead from them, I lit several small bonfires after meticulous preparation, with hosepipe at the ready, just in case.
Come Monday, there were smoke plumes all over the area. "A good idea to burn more," I thought. So I lit a few more small fires, which burned quickly and then went dormant.
Then I turned my attention to a larger pile of waste. I checked out the surroundings and judged it to be safe. There was a good metre gap between my pile and some scrub next door.
So I lit the fire and up it went.