Three fires burn in Catalonia
Rural Agents had raised the alert to red level this morning due to heat, wind, and low humidity in about thirty municipalities
BarcelonaThree fires are burning this Sunday in different parts of Catalonia. Firefighters are currently working to extinguish the flames in Cervià de les Garrigues, La Serreta, and Ponts. All three fires are, however, under control.
This afternoon, the Generalitat Firefighters have declared the wildfire that broke out in Cervià de les Garrigues (Garrigues) as stabilized, after it ravaged 46 hectares of land. According to the corps, during the operations, they were forced to evacuate eight residents and confine 144 more people to their homes for a few hours. At present, more than forty units continue to work on the ground, although the fire is already under control. According to the first report from the Rural Agents, the fire originated from sparks emitted by a grinder during agricultural work being carried out in the area.
In Ponts (Noguera), firefighters also had to deploy 42 units, seven of them aerial, to tackle another fire, which has so far burned 6.5 hectares. The fire has reached the ridge of Sant Pere de Ponts, and firefighters are now working to contain the flanks. The flames have forced the closure of traffic on the C-14 between kilometers 112 and 124, from Vilanova de l'Aguda to Ponts, and diversions in Ponts and Bassella.
Also this afternoon, the fire department managed to stabilize a third fire, which started in Vilafranca del Penedès (Alt Penedès), and which has burned 1.5 hectares. The flames affect the Serreta area and have spread to forest land. However, a part had already been burned last year, which reduced the intensity. Fourteen ground units, one aerial resource, and the local ADFs worked on it. The police also confined some residents in this area, and the smoke was visible from the AP-7.
High risk of fires
Weather services had warned this morning that the high temperatures this Sunday, combined with the wind and low humidity, were increasing the possibilities of fire in various parts of the territory, which has led them to issue a red alert for high risk in about thirty municipalities in the regions of Alt Urgell, Anoia, Ribera d'Ebre, Segrià, Solsonès, Terra Alta, Segarra, and Noguera.