Rangers accuse Dingli feast organisers of lighting bonfire at Natura2000 site

The organiser of the Dingli Cliffs feast at St Mary Magdalene Chapel has been accused of damaging a Natura2000 area after lighting a bonfire on protected garigue.

The Malta Ranger Unit said they have filed a report with the Environment and Resources Authority asking for legal action to be taken when a bonfire was lit “after mass at Dingli Chapel”, damaging a Natura2000 site.

The MRU said the fire “took out several protected lentisk shrubs and left a large burnt area” within the strictly protected Natura 2000 site.

They noted that at a time when the rangers are working “round the clock” to prevent fires in Natura2000 sites, by educating the general public about fire safety when kindling a BBQ or small fire, “an event organiser in Dingli decided to do the total opposite”.

They pointed out kindling a fire directly on the ground, close to protected trees and defacing the area goes against littering laws and woodland regulations.

“The fire would most likely also have killed wildlife that was sheltering inside the shrubs,” the MRU said.

“This behaviour is not acceptable and the damage could have been avoided fully by simply kindling an elevated bonfire responsibly.”

The MRU urged for “some respect” to firefighters and not kindle fires “recklessly” during the hot and dry summer.