The Asturian Government has described as unprecedented the wave of “provoked” fires that is plaguing the region and that keeps 116 outbreaks active throughout the community. “It is a wave of arson that is unprecedented,” said the Minister of Rural Affairs and Territorial Cohesion of the Asturian Government, Alejandro Calvo, in an interview with TVE collected by Europa Press
Calvo has said that the fires, in the current situation and with simultaneous outbreaks at the worst possible moment as a result of the weather, seem to “seek to do as much damage as possible.”
In this way, Alejandro Calvo has said that those who are causing the fires are having “criminal” behavior by putting people at risk. “It is being investigated and the full weight of the law will fall on them,” he said.
There are more than 600 people in the territory who are working against the fire. The A-8 continues to be closed for safety at the height of Cadavedo and there are 35 people who are still in the provisional facility that has been located in Luarca.
For the moment, the fires have reached Oviedo last night when the flames reached Mount Naranco.
This Friday, the flames and the intense smoke coming out of this mountain are still visible from a good part of the city, at the foot of which is the Oviedo neighborhood of Ciudad Naranco.
The flames have devastated part of the mountain from mid-height to the top, which is crowned by the monument to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The one in Oviedo is one of the 116 simultaneous outbreaks that this morning were recorded throughout the Asturian geography and that especially harshly affect the western area, where yesterday 174 people from 39 homes had to be evacuated.
In addition, the A-8 highway and the N-634 highway remain cut off between Asturias and Galicia, at the height of the Valdés council, one of the most affected by the flames.
March ends this Friday with 38 forest fires still active in Cantabria, where 330 fires have been recorded throughout the month that have affected the mountains of the autonomous community, and all of them caused, according to the regional government.
According to the data provided early this Friday by the Cantabrian Executive, since 7:00 p.m. yesterday there have been 20 new fires and a total of 38 are still active.
These fires that are still active are recorded above all in the Pas and Saja-Besaya area, in addition to continuing the fire that started yesterday in the Cantabrian municipality located in the Picos de Europa National Park, Tresviso.
In addition to Tresviso, the municipalities where there are forest fires this Friday are: Camaleño, Cabuerniga (5), Anievas, Tudanca, Saro, Selaya, Los Tojos (7), Molledo (3), Cabezon de la Sal (2), Vega de Pas (2), San Pedro Romeral, Luena, Anievas, Soba (2), Santiurde Toranzo, Tresviso, Ruente, Arredondo, San Roque, Alfoz de Lloredo and the Saja-Nansa commonwealth.
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, has contacted the president of the community, Adrián Barbón, to find out the evolution of the fires.
“My solidarity with the affected families and my gratitude to those who fight the fire. Caution. Let’s follow the safety instructions,” he stressed in a tweet.
