The Generalitat firefighters are working to extinguish eight fires, although there are two of the biggest fires: that in Artesa de Segre (Lleida), which already affects about 500 hectares of vegetation, and that in Corbera d’Ebre (Tarragona ), where they work on an area of 200 hectares. As reported by the firefighters, at 1:11 p.m. they received the fire alarm that affects the villages of Baldomar, La Clua and Os de Balaguer, in Artesa de Segre (Lleida), where they have asked the neighbors to lock themselves in because of the smoke, although about 20 residents of the Clua have chosen to leave their homes. In addition, they evaluated 54 people from a summer camp, about 40 of whom were minors, and those responsible for the Os campsite also voluntarily decided to close the facility.
Although the fire in Artesa de Segre has already affected around 500 hectares, those responsible for the fire brigade expect a fire potential of 20,000 hectares. 55 ground crews and 4 air forces (two commando helicopters and two bombers) are working on this fire. The firefighters have the cooperation of the communities and farmers who have helped with their tractors to till the fields so that the troops have a place from which to extinguish the fire.
In the case of the Corbera d’Ebre fire, the warning was received at 14:54 and the flames affect the Camposines area, where 40 ground crews and 6 air forces work (2 command helicopters, 2 bombers and 2 surveillance and attack aircraft). ). The fire has spread to secondary sources and the fire service had to request the closure of the TV-7333 road between Fatarella and Vilalba dels Arcs. The storms from Aragón, which are moving winds towards the fire area, have complicated extinguishing tasks, although firefighters managed to push the blaze towards a field area near the road. Rural agents have set up a perimeter of the affected area and firefighters have been deployed over an area of 200 hectares to fight this fire.
Several fires in Lleida
The delegate of the Generalitat in Lleida, Bernat Solé, highlighted the participation of the farmers and thanked the work of all the fire brigade teams. “The situation is extremely serious,” he said, stressing that personal injuries were not to be regretted. The other six fires that firefighters are working on are of lower intensity for now and are believed to have been caused by lightning strikes in the Lleida area. The alert for the first two fires was given at 18:50 in Coll de Nargó, where there are six ground crews who are very close together and in an area that is difficult to access.
Lleida concentrates the largest number of reported fires. The third fire has been declared in Castellar de la Ribera and five country teams are working on it. The fourth call came in at 7:22 p.m. and was announced in Oliana, where two firefighters are facing the blaze. The alert for the fifth was received at 19:28 when lightning struck a rocky area at Abella de la Conca, igniting the flames facing two crews. Finally, another vegetation fire struck La Foradada this afternoon; Notification was received at 5:12 p.m. and 9 ground crews were mobilized who are still watering the area, although in this case the fire has been completely surrounded by a waterline since just before 7 p.m.
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