The Generalitat’s researchers are trying to determine “what is the human activity”, accidental or not, that has caused the forest fire declared yesterday in Portbou (Girona). The investigation began on Friday afternoon and for now “does not point” to the fact that the fire originated from a natural phenomenon, sources from Agents Rurals have explained to Europa Press.
Meanwhile, two surveillance and attack planes (AVA) from the Generalitat Fire Brigade were able to join the operation against the forest fire in Portbou (Girona) this afternoon after the decrease in the intensity of the wind in the area, which this Saturday morning morning has prevented them from operating.
The Minister of the Interior, Joan Ignasi Elena, has told the media from the Parc de Bombers de Llançà (Girona) that these two planes “will diagnose the situation” of the fire, which already affects some 500 hectares and whose cause rules out that be natural.
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. Meanwhile, the Generalitat Fire Department have confined the Girona towns of Portbou, in its upper part, and Colera, as well as an urbanization of Llancà, due to the advance of the fire that was declared yesterday mid-afternoon. A “complex” fire, whose control is being made difficult by the strong gusts of wind that blow in the area and that is advancing uncontrolled after already burning the aforementioned 500 hectares.
The delegate of the Government in Girona, Laia Cañigueral, and the head of the fire department of the Generalitat, Jordi Martin, have appeared this morning before the media to report on the situation of this forest fire that originated in the area of ??the Portbou swamp .
At this time, more than 250 agents from a total of 98 Generalitat Fire Departments are 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 Bombers planes have joined this noon.
The work of the Generalitat Fire Department is currently focused 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 are expected to 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.”
Communications are not being easy since this environmental disaster has left the entire municipality without electricity and water and a large part of the population has been left without telephone service. The mayor, Gael Rodríguez, has appealed to the population to follow the instructions of the Bombers. “We are investigating why, but we have the town without electricity or water in the tap,” he said. The mayor calls for “calm and serenity” and is confident that the situation will be resolved.
The decision to confine the upper part of Portbou, Colera, and an urbanization of Llancà in the port, has been taken to, on the one hand, guarantee the safety of the residents and, on the other, to leave the roads free for 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 aerial means have been incorporated into the work.
For now, early in the afternoon the confinement is maintained in the municipalities of Portbou and Colera and the northern part of Llançà, waiting for the fire to stabilize. The power outage that in the last few hours has affected up to 4,000 subscribers in these municipalities has almost been fully resolved and now only affects a hundred.
