The firefighters of the Generalitat hope to stabilize the Portbou fire in the next few hours and the confinement of the surrounding towns have been lifted this afternoon-night This has been announced by the Minister of the Interior, Joan Ignasi Elena, who has specified that the confinement Portbou, Colera and the urbanizations of Llançà (Girona) would end before 8:00 p.m. this Saturday.
Elena has made this announcement in statements to the media from the Parc de Bombers de Llançà (Girona), where she has explained that the fire has not grown since making some, so that it burns some 573 hectares, a perimeter similar to the one that burned this morning . Most of the affected area is forest land, although around 16 hectares are agricultural and 6 urban.
“The confinement will be lifted but with restrictions, neighbors, sporadic residents, tourists, workers and naturally also emergency services will be able to access,” he added.
In statements to the media, the Minister of the Interior has assured that considerable progress has been made in containing the fire after 9 helicopters and 4 planes joined the extinguishing tasks, which have joined the work of a hundred ground crews and 300 agents, thanks to the truce given by the wind.
While, on the one hand, the Generalitat’s researchers are trying to determine “what is the human activity”, accidental or not, that has caused the forest fire, while, on the other, a large device is working to put out the fire.
The tracking of ground zero, “in the initial phase”, has made it possible to determine that the fire originated on land near a campsite, although the exact point is being determined. Minister Elena has ruled out that the cause of the fire is natural, “but it is being investigated.”
As far as extinguishing work is concerned, some 300 agents out of a total of 98 Generalitat Fire Departments are currently fighting the fire, supported by another ten French troops who have crossed the border to give their support. Half a dozen air resources have also been activated since morning -between helicopters and planes-, to which the seaplanes of the firefighters have joined this noon, once the wind has allowed it.
The work of the Generalitat firefighters has focused today on two points: the right flank, which has a potential risk of burning more than 2,500 hectares, and the left side, since the flames were expected to could reach the sea, between Portbou and Colera, as explained by Martin.
Joan Ignasi Elena has detailed that “the main objective” of this Saturday is “to fix the right flank, which is the most important thing because, if it spreads, it could expand the perimeter of the fire.”
The Minister of the Interior explained that it is a “complicated fire” derived from the strong wind and heat, which has affected the electricity supply of 1,500 residents.
The decision to confine the upper part of Portbou, Colera, and an urbanization of Llancà in the port, was made to, on the one hand, guarantee the safety of the residents and, on the other, to leave the roads free so that the firefighters can move and, even, to ensure a possible evacuation of more citizens.
Adverse weather conditions due to the wind yesterday prevented aerial means from working on the fire, although this Saturday they did join the work, which is greatly facilitating fire control.
The electricity supply in Colera was restored this Saturday around 4:37 p.m. after being affected by the fire that burned in the Portbou area. The confinements will take a little longer to lift, until 8:00 p.m., although it is clear that positive news is beginning to arrive.
Train circulation between Figueres and Portbou has been reopened this evening.
