The 121 active fires, which affect 35 municipalities in Asturias, have already displaced almost 400 people. Regional leader believes that it is a criminal hand and assures that the perpetrators will be tried.
In the Spanish region of Asturias, 35 municipalities registered, only on this Friday morning, 121 forest fires, 31 more than last night. According to the authorities, the wave of fires was deliberately caused by arsonists with “criminal conduct”, leaving 375 people homeless in the west of Asturias and which leads to the closure of several highways, including the one that communicates with Galicia.
⚠️????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????
116 fires in 35 municipalities⛔️‼️Continue cutting the A-8 in Cadavedo #valdes‼️
⛔️N-634 in Trevías (Valdés)
⛔️N-632 in Ballota (Valdes)
⛔️As-351 from Almuña to Merás (Valdés)
⛔️AS-219 direction Naraval (Tineo) https://t.co/6TKoMccpqp– Principality of Asturias (@GobAsturias) March 31, 2023
The weather conditions, such as strong winds, low humidity and high temperatures, which this Thursday reached record levels (more than 30º), have made it difficult to fight the flames, which affect, above all, the municipalities of Allande, Tineo, Villayón and Valdés, in the north of Spain.
‼️Asturias, on fire????.
There are hundreds of active fires throughout the Principality, caused intentionally.
The emergency services are working tirelessly to try to control the situation.https://t.co/EqNRLwPZK9pic.twitter.com/4N3l3dQ2JS
— EM-electomania.es (@electomania) March 31, 2023
During the early hours of this Friday, the fire also reached Monte Naranco, a mountain range near the regional city of Oviedo, where the flames were “out of control”firefighters report to El Comercio, with a strong possibility that the fire could damage the Catholic temples of Santa María del Naranco and San Miguel de Lillo, considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985.
So far, according to El País, 700 operatives have been deployed in this area, including a Reinforcement Brigade against Forest Fires, dozens of land vehicles, two firefighting planes and five helicopters. To increase the support network for the displaced, field hospitals were created.
Faced with this scenario, the Minister of Rural Environment and Territorial Cohesion of the Government of Asturias, Alejandro Calvo, commented, on local television, that the perpetrators of these crimes “have criminal behavior and try to do as much damage as possibleputting people at risk” and which must be strongly condemned.
Also the president of Asturias, Adrián Bardón, in a publication on the social network Twitter, he accused arsonists of being “real terrorists, delinquents and criminals”.
Asturias does not burn. THEY BURN IT.
And those responsible are those who burn our mountains. They are criminals, delinquents and as such they will be persecuted and treated.
Infinite free for people who work in firefighting and support those affected.— ???? Adrian Barbon (@AdrianBarbon) March 30, 2023
Pedro Sánchez, leader of the Spanish Government, has also reacted, through the same social network, showing solidarity with the victims of these fires and thanking the willingness and work of the firefighters who are fighting the flames.
I just spoke with the president @AdrianBarbon to know the evolution of the more than 100 fires that devastate Asturias.
My solidarity with the affected families and my gratitude to those who fought against the fire.
Caution. Let’s follow the safety instructions.
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) March 31, 2023
being spain the country with the most burned forest area in the European UnionThe authorities have prohibited access to forest tracks, the circulation of tractors and the use of machinery in the forests to prevent more fires.
Source: Observadora