Salvador Illa calls for caution: "Fires aren't like they used to be; they give you goosebumps."

BarcelonaThe first major fire of the summer, burning in the regions of Noguera, Segarra and Urgell, has affected around 6,000 hectares so far, the majority (up to 4,000) of which are agricultural and belong to the Natural Area of the Sió and Llobregós Valleys. Firefighters continue working to extinguish the fire, which they managed to control a few minutes after 10 p.m. In any case, further fatalities are ruled out, following the confirmation on Tuesday of the deaths of two men in Coscó, in the Noguera region. During the afternoon, firefighters stabilized five major outbreaks in various areas of the fire, and also had to allocate resources to another already stabilized blaze in Pinós (Solsonès). "We have lost two people, but it could have been many more," declared Fire Chief David Borrell. Since 2012, in the Portbou fire, no one has died trying to flee the blaze.

Two simultaneous fires, one started in Torrefeta and Florejac and another in Sanaüja, spread at record speed, leaving firefighters unable to extinguish them for a time. One of the hypotheses being worked on by Rural Agents and the Mossos d'Esquadra is that the fire in Torrefeta and Florejac was started by a spark from a mower that was working in a field, although other alternatives are being considered. In contrast, the Sanaüja fire is more likely to be a power line problem, according to municipal sources, as they have already had similar fires in recent days. Everything points to two accidents. However, Fire Inspector Moisès Galán has insisted that the Rural Agents are still investigating the causes.

"Today's fires are not like those of 20 years ago. They give you goosebumps; they are very dangerous fires," said the president of the Generalitat (Catalan government), Salvador Illa, from the command center in Guissona. Isla called for caution and prevention due to the high temperatures still expected in the country. Galán also called for caution, criticizing the fact that firefighters found several people within the perimeter of the fire despite a confinement order in the area. "In an area of 6,000 hectares, we can't put a porter on every corner; there are many paths here. We must appeal to the criterion of self-responsibility so that this doesn't happen again," said Galán.

Fire potential

What most concerned firefighters this Wednesday was the right flank of the blaze, especially due to its "wildland potential." Borrell had already announced that renewed fires were expected, as has happened, and insisted that the most important thing is to be able to control them quickly. To this end, 35 ground fire crews and five aerial fire crews have been mobilized, in addition to "heavy machinery and the invaluable support of the farmers," in Borrell's words.

The fire forced the confinement of 20,000 residents in the municipalities of Vilanova de la Aguda, Artesa de Segre, Puentes, Agramunt, Guissona, Cabanabona, Oliola, Sanaüja, and Torrefeta until 11:30 p.m. The lockdown was lifted this Wednesday, but Civil Protection sent a mobile message urging residents not to enter the perimeter of the Torrefeta, Florejacs, and Sanaüja fires.

Speaking to ARA, Borrell acknowledged that they had a critical moment on Tuesday afternoon. "We couldn't extinguish the fire," he admitted. "But we are able to recognize these moments, reposition ourselves tactically, and prevent it from overtaking us," he added. They prioritized protecting people and trying to contain the fire within a larger area.

24 structures affected

According to ARA, firefighters have conducted a provisional count of buildings affected by the fire. In Renant (Noguera), they found a completely burned farmhouse and two damaged shelters. In Granollers de Segarra, a farmhouse, and another building in Vilamajor. In Cabanabona (Noguera), a pig farm, a barn, and a farmhouse were burned. Two vehicles were also affected, one of them being the one that carried the two victims. There are 25 affected structures: two completely, and the rest partially. This count includes 13 farmhouses (one completely burned), five barns, and one of them completely burned. Wood from a burning barn fell on the other.

Above all, it has burned agricultural land. In fact, President Illa has asserted that there is "too much forest in Catalonia," and that in this fire they were "lucky" because the rains prevented this forest from burning and the fire from becoming much larger. "We need to reflect as a country and invest more in the mosaic line."

Top speed

The fire that originated in Torrefeta and Florajacs is a sixth-generation fire: the flames spread at a top speed of 28 kilometers per hour, and the European record is 31 km/h. The local winds generated around the fire reached 125 kilometers per hour, and the pyrocumulus cloud created by the high energy of the flames and the atmospheric conditions rose 14,000 meters before collapsing. Borrell has stated that they encountered a fire that exceeded the "extinguishing capabilities" of the firefighters.

It was especially in the north of the fire's origin where, due to the growth of very violent storms with very strong ascending speeds, the fire reached these speeds on the surface. This Wednesday, temperatures will again reach 40 degrees in Ponent, and the firefighters do not have the fire under control, but they do maintain it in this stabilization phase.

Day of mourning

The Catalan government has declared a day of mourning throughout Catalonia for the deaths of both men during the fires in Ponent. Official celebrations will be suspended this Thursday, July 3rd, and flags will be flown at half-mast on the buildings and offices of the Catalan government, as well as on public corporations in Catalonia. The same decree specifies that with this measure, the government wishes to "express its grief" for the deaths of both men and, at the same time, "support the families of the victims at this time."