This summer is being one of the worst on record regarding forest fires in Western Europe. Successive and suffocating heatwaves, rural depopulation and abandonment of fields, urban developments scattered in areas surrounded by forests, administrations that disregard their obligations, and risky human activities in the natural environment are the main conditioning factors that have led to the current scenario, with large areas of France, Spain, and Portugal suffering historic fires with unprecedented intensities and extents.Meanwhile, the summer months are also the ones with the most mobility on the road network, coinciding with the holiday season and trips to towns and tourist areas, often located in areas of high or very high fire risk. In fact, this very summer, great human tragedies have occurred, such as the death of several people in the Almeria fires inside their vehicles while trying to flee the flames. From the General Directorate of Traffic or associations like the RACE or the CEA Foundation there is agreement in giving some basic advice in case a fire catches us while driving. Lights on, close doors and windows and do not leave the vehicle

First of all, it is necessary to follow the instructions of the relevant authorities when carrying out home confinements, and to avoid taking the car or leaving by the indicated routes in case of evacuation, which limits to the maximum the risk of being caught by the flames. In case we see an area on fire, it is absolutely necessary to avoid driving through it by continuing on, as the smoke and flames limit our visibility and we could end up having an accident, or the engine could eventually stop due to lack of oxygen for combustion. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to turn back and leave the core of the fire, turning on the emergency lights and the dipped headlights, even the fog lights in case the smoke screen limits visibility.Although the first human reaction is to flee from flames, if we see ourselves threatened by flames at a certain distance, it is preferable to close doors, windows, and car ventilation systems to create a temporarily safe space. If we are forced to leave the car if it starts to burn (the worst possible scenario), we must cover most of our skin with a scarf or piece of clothing, as well as cover our nose and mouth, and run in the opposite direction of the fire and look for areas without vegetation or already burned. It is worth remembering that it is always preferable to stay inside the vehicle, unless it starts to burn.The car will not explode

Keeping calm and cool-headed can make a difference in any type of emergency, but even more so in case of fire. The first human reaction is fear and concern about flames reaching the car, but contrary to what movies show, vehicles do not explode, they simply burn and generate dense smoke. Stop in a space without vegetation

The ideal space to avoid the flames of a fire is the road itself, as the asphalt acts as a natural firebreak. In case of finding a space without vegetation, located against or perpendicular to the wind or in an already burnt area, it is highly convenient to stop there and inform the emergency teams of our position.

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More than 18 km of harassment. That's what the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) had to do this Sunday to stop a vehicle driven by a 26-year-old woman at 5:30 a.m. Catalan police officers had detected the car traveling erratically near Anglès, in La Selva, and when they ordered it to stop, it fled at high speed and even attempted to ram the officers on several occasions. The chase along the C-65 reached Riudarenes, where the driver finally rammed a police vehicle in the oncoming lane. The officers, anticipating what could happen, had abandoned the car before the impact. After the arrest, the young woman, who suffered minor injuries from the collision, was taken to the hospital.

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Jaume Fatjó, director of the Foundation chair Affinity Animals and Health, a clinical veterinarian from Vet Partners, gives us some useful tips for traveling with a dog or cat. When traveling by car with a dog, they must first get used to the vehicle. It's not advisable to take a long trip if the animal is unfamiliar with the car or van. This requires learning: starting with short trips with a pleasant experience (using toys or treats, for example). These can be gradually lengthened. However, the response will vary greatly depending on each dog's personality. If there is an initial negative reaction, Fatjó recommends contacting the veterinarian, who can provide medication to prevent motion sickness or dietary supplements to help them cope better with stressful situations.

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With the arrival of summer, the roads are busier than ever. From short domestic trips to tourists who believe us without stopping. The inevitable result is lost hours spent stuck in traffic on the country's main roads. Given this situation, the debate has reopened: who pays for the roads?

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She is the first person in the world to hold a specific chair on cycling at a university, in Ghent. Meredith Glaser (California, 1982) holds a PhD in urban planning from the University of Amsterdam, a city where she has lived for the past fifteen years, and is director of the Urban Cycling Institute. "I grew up with the car as the king of transport, and arriving here shook my world: I've never had a car again," she says. This researcher and expert in cycling planning advises the Flemish government and affirms that it is necessary to "redistribute street space." A few days ago, she gave a talk, in collaboration with the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB), to promote bicycle use in "greater Barcelona."

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