The work of the forestry brigades and the aerial means have managed to maintain the perimeter of the fire that has affected Castellón and Teruel since last Wednesday. And that today’s day was not easy because during the morning a strong wind from the west blew. Ximo Puig has announced that the perimeter has been contained and that “we have gone through moments of extreme difficulty, difficult moments yesterday afternoon, but the good work and coordination has paid off”. Puig has visited the affected area together with the Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez.
The Valencian president has also pointed out that there are still two outbreaks “with a certain boiling point, but let’s hope on this very difficult day from 6 pm we can give good news.” He has even announced that if everything goes according to plan in the next few hours, “the displaced people can begin to be returned to their homes.”
For his part, the President of the Government has conveyed the Executive’s commitment to rebuild “everything that has been lost and damaged” by the fire that has been active since Thursday in Villanueva de Viver (Castellón). In addition, he has thanked the work of the troops who work in the extinction and the “solidarity” of the neighbors who welcome some of the evacuees to other municipalities.
This was stated in an institutional statement after visiting the Advanced Command Post (PMA) installed in the town of Barracas to learn about the evolution of the fire, which continues with two active sources, and meeting with the mayors of the affected towns to inquire about the situation of the neighbors.
“As president, I guarantee the full commitment of the Government so that, when the last flames are extinguished, we can begin the always complex and urgent task of recovering the affected areas”, he asserted, to remember that “the most important thing is that there has been no no human loss to lament”.
It is a commitment that has transferred to the ‘president’ of the Generalitat, Ximo Puig, and this Sunday to the Aragonese president, Javier Lambán, since the fire was declared between the provinces of Castellón and Teruel. “We are deploying all means at our disposal and making them available to the two communities,” he stressed. AND
Looking ahead to the next few hours, “even with the fire alive”, Sánchez has asked the population to take extreme precautions, especially on the part of the almost 1,700 evacuated residents to “anticipate any more adverse scenario”. He has conveyed “a message of security and confidence” to citizens who “naturally are distressed and with the uncertainty of what will happen to their municipalities, their homes and their assets.”
“That commitment is going to be deployed,” he insisted, alluding to the recovery of cattle, tourist areas or affected businesses. For this he has guaranteed that the Government delegations in Aragon and the Community “will put all their efforts and human resources so that in the shortest possible time we can give an answer, stability and certainty to the neighbors.”
Until then, he has valued the solidarity of “families who are welcoming neighbors in a situation of such emergency and drama” and has praised the “determination and commitment” of the extinction forces and the role of the Red Cross teams that provide psychological care to those affected. He also stressed that the 14 firefighters who were slightly injured “fortunately they are all recovered.”
As a reflection, Sánchez regretted that “it is beginning to be very common” for typical summer fires to originate long before their time, like this one at the beginning of spring, something that has been linked to the climate emergency that “is not a future emergency: It is a current and urgent crisis.”
“There is no room for denialism, nor is it possible to be neutral before those who are deniers. The climate emergency exists, it causes dramas and damage like the ones we are seeing and it is very relevant that we are all committed,” he stressed after “hazardous years of fires,” danas’ and philomenas’.
Along these lines, the president has highlighted the single command that has been established since the start of the fire, something that has been linked to the commitments reached at the Conference of Presidents held in March 2022 on the island of La Palma. “In the face of phenomena that do not meet any geographical border, it was necessary to maximize cooperation,” he stated.
And he has called to work “365 days a year” in the prevention of any adverse phenomenon, as well as to increase public awareness because “we are coming out of winter and we are already suffering temperatures and fires typical of summer.”
