In just four months, a total of more than 3,530 forest fires were recorded in Spain, double the average of the last 10 years. Just over half (59%) of these managed to extinguish them in their initial phase, before burning a hectare, but 1,441 suffered further damage.
The General Directorate of Civil Protection and Emergencies reported that fires in controlled areas are already 20% above average. The total number of complaints exceeded 3,100.
The report indicates that the forest area burned up to April 30 was more than double the average for the last decade.
There are seven big fires
As of May 21, there have been seven major forest fires that have burned more than 27,000 hectares.
The largest of these was declared last week in the municipality of Pinofranqueado, with almost 11,000 hectares affected.
Likewise, four of the GIFs resulted in self-regulation (57%) and in all of them Miteco media intervened (100%) and in four the UME (57%).
In all the GIFs in which the UME intervened, there were consequences for Civil Protection and they were declared in Operational Situation 2.
Of the 54 fires with operational situations involving the SCPPF, between January 1st and May 21st, only 21% (13) involved AGE Media and only 24% (14) had consequences for the population or its residents.
The report also indicates that there were 16 people who were treated for injuries in three fires. Of these, 15 are associated with the people who tried to put out the fire and not their extinguishers.
evacuations
More than 4,100 people have been evacuated due to the wildfires, which have been raging since May 21. Evacuations are not over and even more will depend on the progress of wildfires.
He highlighted, with 2,357 homeless, the fire of Villanueva de Viver (Castellón), on March 23; followed by 700 due to the fire in Pinofranqueado (Cáceres), on 17 May; the 285th in the province of Teruel due to the fire in Villanueva de Viver on March 23; and the 200 in the fire of Aigües (Alicante), on January 16th.
Of the 54 fires reported in Operational Situation 1 or Operational Situation 2 as of May 21, 24 had negative outcomes for people or property: 16 injuries in three fires, 21 fires with evacuees and three with damage to infrastructure
The number of occurrences this year through May 21, with the Sunday of the third week of previous years, is above average and continues to increase.
New technology to stop fires
An irrigation system activated by the threat of fire is put to the test in Ribarroja and neighboring towns.
Valencia, test this irrigation system to protect the environment and preserving forests and preventing fires in inhabited areas.
with information from efeverde