The fire that ignites from fourth-feira in the Spanish province of Zamora, near the Portuguese border in Trás-os-Montes, is circumscribed, after having consumed more than 25 thousand hectares, an area that has been the largest in the last decade in the country.
The drop in temperatures on Saturday night contributed to improving the situation and the less intense wind than in previous days has favored the fight against the flames, although the fire is still active, informed the authorities on the ground.
Firefighting in Zamora had 39 Portuguese operations this Saturday, including firefighters and technicians from the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF), according to the District Relief Operations Command (CDOS) of Bragança, border district with the Spanish province. However, these operatives have already returned to Portugal.
According to the EFE agency, the improvement in the situation allowed the return to their homes of neighbors from 20 towns that had been evacuated as a precaution on Saturday night, as well as the reopening of roads and railways closed by smoke and flames. The reopening of the Madrid-Galicia AVE is subject to the necessary verifications by Adif (Railway Infrastructure Administrator), so that this service can function safely again.
With the fire contained, and to prevent the winds of up to 40 kilometers per hour recorded this afternoon from rekindling the flames, almost seven hundred soldiers were deployed in the area. The improvement of the fire conditions during the night was attributed by sources to the operational device to combat the drop in temperatures, which allowed a greater effectiveness of the environment compared to previous nights.
Given the magnitude of the fire and its consequences, the president of the Junta de Castilla y León, Alfonso Fernández Mañueco, who visited the advanced command center again today, has announced a special plan for the environmental and socioeconomic recovery of the affected area .
The Government delegate in Castilla y León, Virginia Barcones, has also indicated that, this Monday, technicians from the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge arrived in Zamora to begin assessing the damage, with a view to creating, “as quickly as possible ”, the necessary support packages.
The head of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, informed the president of the Junta de Castilla y León on Saturday night of his availability to help fight the fire in the Sierra de Culebra, in Zamora.
Night crews on the ground worked tirelessly during the last night, along with some day crews that continued their work until early morning, in an attempt to slow the spread of the fire and protect the evacuated villages. This morning, the Tabuyo del Monte Forest Fire Reinforcement Brigade (León) managed to put out a four kilometer front in Junquera de Tera, where it acted until 01:45 a.m., while the Laza Brigade (Orense) extended his work until 03:15 hours. am.
Having crossed the boundaries of the Culebra Mountain Game Reserve, firefighting operations now extend to the Tera River Valley.
The fire that devastates the Spanish region of Navarra forced the evacuation of several cities during the night, maintaining the situation of extreme risk. The Government of Navarra has asked people in the affected areas who have not received an evacuation order to remain in their homes and remain calm.
As reported by the 112 emergency service, in the last hours the towns of San Martín de Unx have been evacuated, due to the fire that is registered in the vicinity of Ujué, and the towns of Muzqui, Viguria and Arzoz, in the valley of Guesalaz, as a precaution against the Legarda fire.
At 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, the towns of Obanos, Legarda, Muruzabal, Belascoain, Zabalza, Ubani, south of Puente la Reina, Elío, Etxarri, Ciriza, Vidaurreta, Belascoain, Mendigorría, Valtierra (part) and Arguiñáriz had been evacuated. .
Source: Observadora
