The fire that has affected the interior of Castellón since last Thursday faces a “critical” situation for the next few hours, especially in the early afternoon, when strong gusts of west wind are expected that will reach 50 kilometers per hour, a humidity below 20% and high temperatures.
This was stated by the Minister of Justice and the Interior, Gabriela Bravo, at the Advanced Command Post (PMA) that coordinates the extinction work, focused this morning on the Maimona ravine, where practically all the resources have been concentrated, and in prevent the flames from “jumping” to the CV-195 highway, between Montán and Montanejos, and to the CV-20.
Bravo has indicated that 500 ground troops and 18 air means are currently working in the area, and the Generalitat Valenciana does not rule out requesting more air resources from the state to fight the fire, which continues uncontrolled.
As he specified, defense lines have been established so that it does not affect the Sierra de Espadán Natural Park, and if the evolution of the fire were very unfavorable “all the necessary decisions would be adopted to protect the population”, such as new evictions.
“The necessary decisions to protect the population are fundamental and we also have to do it with enough time to avoid any mishap,” he said in this regard.
Bravo has reported that “we are already interested in the situation of the neighbors and if there are sick people to have everything planned” in the event that the decision is made to evacuate them.
The councilor has also asked the population for “maximum prudence” and to avoid accessing secondary roads. As she has regretted, yesterday 14 cyclists were intercepted on roads close to the fire.
The evolution of the fire tonight had been positive, with a stable perimeter of the fire footprint (about 40 kilometers), but around 8:00 a.m. there was a reproduction of the flames due to the strong west wind in the Maimona ravine, very difficult to access.
It is in this area where all the extinguishing resources are now concentrated as “defense lines” to prevent the fire from advancing, and there is another worrying area, but to a lesser extent, on this same flank.
Between 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. will be the “critical” moments that will determine the evolution of the fire, since in this interval wind gusts of up to 50 kilometers per hour and a wetland level of less than 20% are expected.
“This does not help”, warned the minister, who has indicated that work will continue to “try to stop it and prevent the flames from acquiring much more force to spread.”
On the other hand, Bravo has also stated that “it is still early” so that the people evicted so far in the province of Castellón – some 1,500 – can return to their homes because “the way the fire is behaving it would also generate a serious risk for the population”.
“The neighbors who are outside their homes have to know that the decision has been adopted to protect them because for us it is the most important thing, as well as the lives of the professionals” who are participating in the extinction work.
Bravo explained that the work in the Maimona ravine area is being very complex due to the orography and stated that the strategy to fight the fire “must also take into account that the life of no professional can be endangered”. .
