Translated Article – Fires in Castile and León,...

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Follow the latest news from the fires in Spain and the latest from Castile and León, Extremadura, Galicia, Asturias, and the rest of Spain live.

Incendios en Castilla y León, Extremadura, Galicia, Asturias y el resto de España hoy, en directo

Follow the latest news on the fires in Spain and the latest news from Castile and León, Extremadura, Galicia, Asturias, and the rest of Spain.

20:21

The fire that broke out last Wednesday in Teresa de Cofrentes (Valencia) has been brought under control.

Valencia firefighters have declared the forest fire that broke out last Wednesday, following a lightning strike, in the municipality of Teresa de Cofrentes, according to Emergencies 112 GVA's X account. The fire, which affected some 540 hectares of land, forced the evacuation of around 15 residents of two hamlets, who were able to return to their homes on Friday. Emergency management requested the activation of the Military Emergency Unit (UME), which was deactivated that same Friday. In total, including provincial, regional, and government contingents, around 130 personnel were on the front line fighting the blaze, along with aerial resources.

Lion vs. the Flames: This is dying and there's no way to do anything.

Manuel throws some straws into the air to see which way the wind is blowing. Again. His face reflects relative relief, accompanied by a suppressed sigh."The wind is in our favor today!" he says to himself from the heights, still staring at the two columns of smoke a little further away. They are from fires that, coming from Galicia, have entered Castile and León through El Bierzo. He points to what has burned. The fact that a good part of what he sees before his eyes in the valley near Santo Tirso de Cabarcos has burned is his hope. There the fire is dying because there is nothing left to burn, he points, a little more calmly and after a night in which they didn't sleep a wink.

20:11

Cantabria Unitary Union: Our mountains have burned and hundreds of hectares have been burned due to lack of coordination.

The Cantabrian Unitary Union (SUC) has pointed out the lack of coordination within the General Directorate of Forestry of the Regional Government's Ministry of Rural Development: The alert was not activated in all regions despite the forecast of high temperatures and the multitude of fires ravaging the country. Our forests have burned, and hundreds of hectares have been burned due to this lack of coordination. They also protest the call for volunteers among firefighters who were on leave, vacation, or other leave, as they consider it an exploitation of the goodwill and professionalism of their forest firefighters to use volunteers on leave to carry out what can be done with the available resources.

20:05

Forestry brigades are supporting the extinguishing of up to twelve fires in five provinces.

The Forest Fire Reinforcement Brigades (BRIF) and ground and air personnel from the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) are supporting the extinguishing of twelve fires in five provinces: León, Zamora, Asturias, Cáceres, and Ourense. Specifically, they are working on the fires in Páramo del Sil (León), Porto (Zamora), Almanaza (León), Benuza (León), Somiedo (Asturias), Jarilla (Cáceres), Larouco (Orense), Carballeda de Avia (Orense), Oímbra (Orense), A Mezquita (Orense), Ríos (Orense), and Vilariño de Conso (Orense).

More than 150 residents of Petín (Orense) protest the arrest of a resident.

Residents of Petín (Orense), including the mayor and 150 other residents, traveled to Trives today to support the resident arrested this Sunday for alleged forest arson. The only ones left in the villages to extinguish the few fires that were saved have been arrested, the protesters lament, stating:"Arresting the volunteers, and true heroes of this catastrophe, is the final straw after the neglect suffered over the past few days." They point out: "The real culprits seem to need a scapegoat, and we won't allow it, because the detainee was a volunteer who was helping and simply lit the fire as a firebreak, trying to save the town with his knowledge of how to act in case of a fire."

The resident of Petín (Orense) investigated for starting the fire in O Seixo is free.

The resident of the Orense town of Petín arrested by the Civil Guard this Sunday as the alleged perpetrator of the arson has been released, according to sources from the Superior Court of Justice of Galicia. Thus, the 61-year-old man was brought before the court this afternoon, and is scheduled to appear on the 1st and 15th of each month.

19:35

A fire in Colmenar Viejo forces the activation of operational status 1.

A grass and tree fire broke out this afternoon in an area near the Colmenar Viejo landfill, forcing the activation of operational status 1 of the INFOMA Plan. The fire, close to the AVE (High Speed Train) tracks and the San Pedro tunnel, is not affecting rail traffic, authorities have confirmed.

19:28

Extremadura is approaching normality: only the Jarilla fire (Cáceres) is still active.

At this time, Extremadura only has one active fire, the Jarilla fire. This is the first step toward returning the region to a situation of relative normality. The next few hours are crucial to fighting the flames of a blaze that has already destroyed more than 15,000 hectares. Reports by Adrián García, ABC correspondent in Extremadura.

The Jarilla fire (Cáceres) is advancing on the northern flank and is causing concern in the municipality of Rebollar.

The Jarilla fire in Cáceres has grown to over 15,000 hectares and its perimeter has now reached 163 kilometers. It continues to spread on the northern flank, and the situation in the municipality of Rebollar, which was evacuated , is worrying. The flames could reach the town center. However, the afternoon is passing without major developments or flare-ups. The weather conditions should show signs of improving. Reports by Adrián García, ABC correspondent in Extremadura.

Sánchez will conclude his visits to Molezuelas de la Carballeda (Zamora) due to the fires.

The Prime Minister will visit Molezuelas de la Carballeda (Zamora) after passing through Jarilla (Cáceres), one of the areas affected by the fires. Sánchez will arrive at the fire-hit area at 3:30 p.m., accompanied by the President of the Regional Government of Castile and León, Alfonso Fernández Mañueco; the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska; and the Government Delegate in Castile and León, Nicanor Sen.

Tomorrow's visit by Pedro Sánchez to Jarilla (Cáceres) due to the fire

Tomorrow, the President of the Government will visit Jarilla (Cáceres), one of the areas affected by the fires, to meet with the heads of the emergency and coordination units. Sánchez will arrive at the Jarilla Advanced Command Post (PMA) at 12:45 p.m. and will address the media in an open interview. During this visit, the Prime Minister will be accompanied by the President of the Regional Government of Extremadura, María Guardiola; the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska; and the Government Delegate in Extremadura, José Luis Quintana.

Two Chinook helicopters from the Netherlands arrive in León

Two Chinook helicopters from the Netherlands landed this Monday afternoon at the La Virgen del Camino air base in León to participate in the fight against the forest fires ravaging the country. These two aircraft arrived today in Castile and León through the European Civil Protection Mechanism, activated by the Ministry of the Interior, and will operate wherever their response is most urgent, as these helicopters can be equipped with Bambi Buckets, capable of discharging 7,000 liters per flight, Ical reports.

A camp with more than sixty minors evacuated in Doney de la Requejada (Zamora)

A camp with 65 minors and a dozen adults has been evacuated in the Zamora town of Doney de la Requejada due to the fire that broke out this Thursday, August 14, in the municipality of Porto, Europa Press reports. This evacuation is in addition to those established in the towns of Coso, San Ciprián, Cerdillo, Murias, Rábano de Sanabria, San Justo, and Barrio de Rábano, according to the Ministry of the Environment.

The firefighter who died in León, experienced and always on the front line

Sunday night ended in tragedy for the 22 forestry workers who are part of the Bayubas de Abajo convoy, which traveled from its base in this town in Soria to León on Saturday to help with the efforts to extinguish the fire raging in El Bierzo. One of their firefighters, Ignacio—known as Nacho—aged 57 and originally from Orense but a resident of Soria for more than 30 years, died when the fire engine he was returning in from fighting the blazes in the Valle del Silencio, near Ponferrada (León), overturned down an embankment.

18:44

The fire at the waste plant in A Rúa (Orense) creates a toxic cloud that stains Valdeorras.

Images of Petín, a neighboring municipality where the flames from the fire that started in Larouco (Orense) have also reached. This is the one that has grown the most in recent days (with more than 15,000 hectares burned) and the one that has caused interruptions in water, electricity, and telecommunications supplies in the Valdeorras region of Orense. Six autonomous communities are sending resources for the Interior Ministry's management of the fires.

The Ministry of the Interior is coordinating regional resources to extinguish forest fires originating in a total of six autonomous communities, according to government sources. These communities are Castilla-La Mancha, Catalonia, the Community of Madrid, Navarre, the Basque Country, and the Valencian Community. The resources sent include four airplanes, seven helicopters, six firefighting teams, seven fire engine vehicles, two drone teams, a bulldozer, and an engineering team.

Spain will receive the largest contingent of international aid in history

Government sources have emphasized that Spain will receive the largest contingent of international aid in history through the European Civil Protection Mechanism to combat the wave of fires. Aircraft will arrive from Slovakia and the Czech Republic, along with 66 German and 30 Finnish firefighters. These resources are in addition to aid from France (two Canadair aircraft and 100 firefighters), Italy (two Canadairs), and the Netherlands (two Chinook helicopters).

The Valencian Community sends aid to León to stop the fires

The Valencian Community is sending more than 130 personnel and a dozen fire engines to the fires in Castile and León, specifically to the province of León. The duration of this operation is currently indefinite, although there will naturally be a period of replenishment of personnel, as they need rest and full safety guarantees, according to Juan Carlos Valderrama, Regional Minister of Emergencies and the Interior.

Psychologists on the effect of the fires: Even if they are experienced from a distance, they leave an emotional mark, an empathetic pain that touches deeply.

The tree your grandfather planted, the chicken coop, the field where the man you greeted every morning worked, the smell of pine and thyme, the texture of freshly baked bread from the village oven... A fire doesn't just burn the mountains, the villages, and the animals; it also consumes something as intimate as our roots, our history, and our way of feeling and experiencing the landscape. As psychologist Beatriz Gil Bóveda, CEO of Psique Cambio, explains, fire takes with it everything that gives us identity and everything that, however small it may seem from the outside, gives meaning to life; leaving in its place a frightening silence, a mixture of disbelief, rage, and a feeling of emptiness that's hard to put into words.

Penalties for causing fires in Spain: up to 6 years in prison

The Criminal Code punishes anyone who starts a fire that endangers life or physical integrity with penalties of 10 to 20 years in prison and a fine of 12 to 24 months. If this danger does not exist in forest fires, the penalty is 1 to 5 years and a fine of 12 to 18 months, although it can be increased to 3 to 6 years in prison and a fine of up to 24 months when the fire is particularly serious, meaning it affects large areas, causes serious erosion, significantly alters the fauna or flora, damages protected areas, destroys resources, or is caused for profit.

New arrest in connection with the Cuevas del Valle fire (Ávila) for alleged labor interests

The Civil Guard arrested another employee on Tuesday in Ávila, working to extinguish the fire that started in the town of Cuevas del Valle, which exceeded 2,000 hectares. His motivation may have been linked to labor concerns.

17:50

One arrested for the fire in Puercas de Aliste (Zamora)

In Zamora, a man was arrested as the alleged perpetrator of arson due to negligence for starting the fire in Puercas de Aliste, a Potential Severity Index (PSI) 2 blaze that destroyed more than 4,000 hectares in the province. According to the Civil Guard, the fire was started by an irregularly stored waste and glass pile, which ignited due to the magnifying glass effect and weather conditions.

17:47

Galicia: three arrested and 22 investigated

In Galicia, one of the hardest-hit regions, three people have been arrested and 22 are under investigation as of Friday, according to a statement issued that day by the Government Delegate in Galicia, Pedro Blanco. Among them is an arsonist accused of setting the Oímbra fire, who was remanded in custody without bail.

17:44

The latest arrests and investigations for the fires in Spain

Four more arrests were made than on Thursday, the last day for which official figures were released; and nine more have been investigated in recent years since that date. No details have been provided on those implicated, whether due to intentional, negligent, or other reasons; or those identified by regional authorities.

17:41

31 people arrested and 92 people investigated in connection with the fires that broke out across Spain since June 1.

National Police and Civil Guard officers have arrested 31 people and 85 more are under investigation for their involvement in the start of the forest fires that have broken out in Spain since June 1, according to data released Monday by the Ministry of the Interior. From that date until midnight yesterday, Sunday, August 17, the National Police arrested 9 people and charged another 7, while the Civil Guard arrested 22 individuals and another 85 are under investigation.

More towns evacuated in the Porto fire (Zamora)

The Integrated Operational Coordination Center (Cecopi) of Zamora has determined, early this afternoon, the evacuation of the towns of San Ciprián de Sanabria, Murias, Cerdillo and Coso, which join San Martín de Castañeda and Vigo de Sanabria as municipalities evacuated due to the proximity of the flames of the fire declared in Porto, which remains at level 2 of the Potential Severity Index (IGR). According to sources from the Territorial Delegation of the Regional Government in Zamora who informed Ical, the affected population of the four evacuated municipalities is over one hundred, according to the census, and will be transferred to the Benavente Transport Center, as was already the case with the more than 250 inhabitants of San Martín de Castañeda and Vigo de Sanabria. J. M. A. reports.

THE DAY AFTER THE FIRE: WHEN IT RAINS ASHES

In the Orense municipality of Maceda, more hectares have already been burned than there are inhabitants, around 3,000 according to the latest updates. This figure, always provisional, depends on the re-ignition of the fires that have threatened this town for over a week, fueled by wind, drought, and high temperatures. The perfect trifecta to sow terror in a municipality where the only rain that has fallen for days has been ash. On the steps of Milagros's house, in the village of Teixeira, the embers are piling up. From the top of her balcony, the blackness of the mountain is overwhelming. Her village is located at the end of a narrow, winding road that last Tuesday turned into a mousetrap in a matter of minutes.

Patricia Abet reports from Maceda (Orense).

17:22

The fire in Porto (Zamora) burns more than 5,000 hectares and veers towards Lake Sanabria.

The fire that started in the municipality of Porto, in Zamora, has already affected 5,600 hectares, and the strong gusts of shifting winds that have caused the flanks to turn toward Lake Sanabria are causing concern. According to the Regional Ministry's report on the social media platform 'X', the fire has been experiencing"extreme conditions" since it started on August 14,"with highly shifting wind gusts of up to 80 kilometers per hour that have spread it in unexpected directions." It is now returning toward Lake Sanabria.

The Resoba fire (Palencia) is in a"very favorable" situation after destroying more than 1,300 hectares.

The Castile and León Regional Government has estimated that the fire that broke out on Sunday, August 10, in the town of Resoba, Palencia, in the municipality of Cervera de Pisuerga, has destroyed 1,310 hectares in an initial estimate of the impact of the flames, according to information from the Ministry of the Environment reported by Europa Press. This fire, which had been raised to Potential Severity Index (PRI) 2 on the day it started, is currently at PRI 0 (until a few hours ago it was at level 1) with"a very favorable status, with no flames and hot spots being eliminated." The probable cause of the fire could be lightning, according to Inforcyl.

17:06

Ester Muñoz (PP) protests the management of the fires

Ester Muñoz, a member of the Popular Party (PP) party, states that ordinary resources (UME and BRIF) are under strain."That's why we're requesting extraordinary resources and capabilities from the rest of the Armed Forces," she adds. She responds to Javier Alfonso Cendón, a Socialist member of parliament:"Operational Situation 3 makes no sense. Now, Javier, Minister Marlaska decreed it, so the complaints go to the minister."

Complications for the air services' response to the Porto fire due to smoke

In the Porto fire, aircraft were unable to respond due to the dense cloud of smoke covering the area. The fire has already reached the command post in the town of Laguna de los Peces, where the mayor of Galende, Miguel Ángel Martos Rabanillo, has urged extreme caution and insisted that volunteers not act independently or organize improvised crews. Furthermore, the ZA-103 road remains closed in the direction of entry, although it can be used for exit, and vacationers in the villas by the lake have been ordered to leave the area.

The Castile and León Regional Government lowers the El Herradón fire's Potential Severity Index (PSI) to 0.

The Castile and León Regional Government has downgraded the fire in the Ávila municipality of El Herradón to a Potential Severity Index (PSI) of 0, with more than 80 firefighters working to extinguish the blaze since its outbreak, according to Inforcyl. The fire, which had been raging since 1:50 p.m. on Friday, escalated that same day to PSI of 2, burning a total of 3.5 kilometers in the first 100 minutes, with nearly 3,000 hectares burned, according to data from the Ministry of the Environment.

4:00 PM

The Minister of Defense assures that the fires in Spain cannot be extinguished and that the priority is to save lives.

Defense Minister Margarita Robles stated today in Ronda that the fires ravaging Spain since August 2 are beyond extinguishing capacity."We must let them burn," she stated after a decoration ceremony at the Legion camp in the Malaga town. They explained to us at the UME that in the 20 years since the unit's creation, fires like this have never been seen for many reasons: due to the very nature of fire, which feeds on itself; because it has a special voracity that makes it difficult to predict its direction, which depends not only on the wind; and because, in addition, there are many fires burning at once," Robles explained. Reported by J.J. Madueño.

15:50

Pedro Sánchez will visit the Jarilla fire area in Extremadura tomorrow.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will travel to Extremadura this Tuesday to learn about the progress of the Jarilla forest fire in Cáceres, according to sources at the Moncloa (Moncloa).

The People's Party (PP) sees the state pact on fires as a smokescreen from Sánchez.

I'd say"good morning" to be polite, but it's not"good morning." That's how forcefully Ester Muñoz, spokesperson for the People's Party (PP), began her appearance regarding the wave of fires ravaging Spain."I'm from León, and it's not easy to appear today considering the images we're seeing," she commented. With the situation in the northwest of the peninsula in a dramatic situation, the PP has been highly critical of the state pact proposed this Sunday by Pedro Sánchez. For the PP, this strategy has been nothing more than a cover-up to excuse their disappearance during the fires. Reported by Carlos Mullor.

Fire aid can be requested next week.

The President of the Xunta (regional government), Alfonso Rueda, confirmed today that aid for those affected by the wave of fires ravaging the Galician region can be requested starting next week, following the extraordinary meeting of the Xunta Council in Orense on this issue. He noted that the resources available to the regional government to combat the blazes remain insufficient and urged the central government to act quickly, and not in three or four days. Aid cannot continue to arrive in dribs and drabs, the Galician president asserted. Reported by Alejandro Gesto.

The map of fires in Spain

After 16 days of a heat wave, the third longest in Spain's history, fires continue to ravage the country and have burned more than 138,000 hectares, according to Sara Aagesen, Third Vice President and Minister for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge. However, this figure refers to data up to August 10, so this figure does not reflect the area burned by currently active fires.

3:00 PM

Aid for those affected by the fires in Galicia can be requested starting next week.

Aid for those affected by the wave of fires ravaging Galicia will be available for applications starting next week, following an extraordinary meeting of the Regional Government Council on this issue, according to the president of the region, Alfonso Rueda. He pointed out that the resources available to the regional government to combat the blazes remain insufficient and urged the central government to act quickly, and not in three or four days."They can't continue to arrive in dribs and drabs," he asserted. Reported by Luis García.

Castile and León: 5,300 people in 76 towns

Regional Government spokesperson Carlos Fernández Carriedo provided an update on the evacuations caused by the fires, which affected 5,300 people in 76 towns. Of particular concern is the reluctance of many residents to leave their homes. Attention is focused on the fires that could spread from Cáceres and Orense after a week with 200 declared fires. Furthermore, the Regional Government has initially set aside €100 million to fund an urgent action plan to compensate for the damage caused by the blazes.

The EU is mobilizing resources and firefighters from seven Member States to help Spain fight the wildfires.

The European Union has mobilized aerial resources and technical equipment from seven Member States to support Spain in extinguishing the fires primarily affecting Zamora and Orense. The aid includes four tanker aircraft from the EU emergency reserve from France and Italy, four helicopters sent by the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, as well as firefighter and technical teams from Germany, France, and Finland. There are currently more than 20 active fires in operational status 2, and authorities are coordinating the deployment of additional aerial resources and personnel to extinguish them. Some of these resources are part of the EU-27 prepositioned reserve, which includes 670 firefighters, 22 aircraft, and four helicopters. Some 40 Estonian and Dutch firefighters are already participating in Spain. This is the first time Spain has used this European mechanism, and the assistance will be available starting this Thursday.

More than 30,000 hectares burned in Extremadura

The wildfires ravaging Extremadura these past few days have already destroyed more than 30,000 hectares, according to data updated this morning by the Regional Government of Extremadura. The Jarilla fire is the largest, with 12,000 hectares burned. The Minister for the Presidency, Abel Bautista, has confirmed that last night's resumption of one of the fires in the town of Aliseda was deliberate and that he attributes it to economic reasons.

13:31

Castile and León rejects requesting the Government to raise alert level 3

Castile and León rejects requesting the government for alert level 3 because it would not require more resources, but would only require reporting to Minister Marlaska, according to the spokesperson for the Regional Government of Castile and León, Carlos Fernández Carriedo. In this regard, he insisted that the regional government has not considered this measure because it understands that it would not mean having more capacity to extinguish the fires, but would only change the need to report to a different authority, in this case to Minister Marlaska, who is not the one most on the ground and the one best able to provide guidance. He reiterated, however, that Castile and León is still awaiting the resources requested from the government, primarily logistical resources, not extinguishing resources, and for surveillance and deterrence tasks. Reported by Montse Serrador.

13:13

Civil Protection: The largest contingent of international aid in history has been deployed.

All Spanish State personnel have been and are available to the autonomous communities affected by these terrible fires. Since Monday, the entire system has been fully operational, says Virginia Barcones, Director of Civil Protection, who affirms that the largest contingent of international aid in history has been deployed.

Aemet announces that the heat wave ends today and temperatures will drop, especially in the northwest.

The heat wave will end today. At 16 days, it is the third longest-lasting heat wave, behind those of 2015 and 2022, reports Francisco Javier Rodríguez of Aemet, who adds that there will be a significant drop in temperatures in the northwest. Relative humidity will also increase, which will also help extinguish the fires. However, he warns of the presence of wind and reminds us: We must not let our guard down.

13:02

Muñoz: No autonomous community has requested any level

Muñoz points out that no autonomous community has requested Level 3, because, she says, that would not mean having more resources. The PP spokesperson explains that both state and regional forces are fully involved and, therefore, are requesting the deployment of more capabilities from the rest of the Armed Forces. Operational status 3 would not help because we would have to have our own forces for each emergency, which is each fire.

12:49

Ester Muñoz: State pacts do not extinguish the flames

State pacts don't put out the flames; they don't serve to put out the flames. I expected much more than a headlong rush or a smokescreen after having been missing for more than a week (...) It's as if in the middle of a tsunami you bring a pact across the oceans. It's useless. People expect measures, says Ester Muñoz, spokesperson for the Popular Parliamentary Group, who adds that Sánchez has not contacted Alberto Núñez Feijóo.

12:43

Aagesen insists on the State pact

The Minister of Ecological Transition emphasizes the State pact against wildfires proposed by Sánchez: I find it totally irresponsible, unthinkable, in this context of vulnerability that the opposition would not act in support of a State pact.

12:37

Aagesen: 138,000 hectares have been burned.

The Minister of Ecological Transition, Sara Aagesen, defends the government's actions during this crisis triggered by the fires and reviews the resources deployed. She also announces the arrival of international aid and takes stock of the disaster: 138,000 hectares have been burned.

The Provincial Council of Vizcaya sends human and technical resources to Castile and León to fight the fires.

The Provincial Council of Biscay today deployed a contingent of 42 people and technical resources to assist in extinguishing the forest fires affecting different areas of the state. The mobilization follows a request for support from the community of Castile and León to the Basque Government within the framework of inter-institutional cooperation in emergencies.

Firefighters from Andalusia are deployed to assist with the Orense fires.

A team of 15 firefighters from Málaga, composed of ten from the Provincial Fire Consortium and five from the Fuengirola fire station, departed around 9:00 a.m. for the fire-hit province of Orense with six vehicles—three trucks, one heavy forest fire engine, two heavy rural fire engines, and three light vehicles. Their mission will be to assist in extinguishing the fires, protect homes, and relieve local personnel, remaining available to the single emergency command for any necessary interventions.

Hunting is prohibited in the province of Ourense while the fire alert level 2 is maintained.

Hunting is prohibited in the province of Ourense while the fire alert level is at or above, according to a report published this Monday in the Official Gazette of Galicia (DOG). The Galician regional government announced this measure last Thursday, which will take effect this Monday, and urged citizens to exercise extreme caution until it is in effect, thus asking them not to take unnecessary risks given the emergency situation in the province.