The Villanueva de Viver fire advances with "great voracity" although the 35 km perimeter remains "stabilized"

Puig and Lambán visit the WFP to learn about the impact of both CCAAs and ask for "caution and prudence": "We are absolutely forewarned"

CASTELLÓN / TERUEL, March 25 (EUROPA PRESS) -

The fire declared this Thursday in Villanueva de Viver (Castellón) advances with "great voracity" and the extinction work --in which more than 700 people participate-- present a "great complexity" in the face of "practically summer weather conditions ", which, however, have allowed the perimeter of the fire to be "stabilized", which occupies an area of ​​35 kilometers.

This was explained this Saturday by the 'president' of the Generalitat Valenciana, Ximo Puig, in statements to the media after the CECOP meeting at the Advanced Command Post (PMA), in which he was accompanied by the President of the Government of Aragón, Javier Lambán, as the fire presents an "Aragonese front" that is currently being more affected by the southerly wind, and has forced the evacuation of some 200 people, in addition to the 1,500 evacuees in Valencian municipalities .

In this sense, the head of the Consell has assured that "all caution and prudence" will be maintained and action will be taken according to the meteorological evolution "at all times", while pointing out that currently the fire affects the Aragon area, although it is expected that from this Sunday it will affect the "Valencian front" again.

Puig has insisted that the fire takes place in an "almost summer episode", for which he has asserted that the troops are "absolutely prepared to change any strategy if necessary". "Given the situation of drought and climate crisis, with these new generation fires we are in the perfect storm," she added.

Regarding the possible causes of the fire, he has refused to "include further confusion", and has defended that the Civil Guard "is doing its job rigorously as always and, at the appropriate time, it will be the corresponding authorities who will inform". "Now we are busy, concerned and concerned about trying to put out the fire as soon as possible," he declared.

For his part, Javier Lambán has guaranteed that the Aragonese operatives will feel just as concerned with the extinction work regardless of whether the virulence is greater in the Teruel or Valencian part. Thus, he has asked for "patience and understanding" of the evicted people, some 250 in Aragon, specifically in the municipalities of Olba and San Agustín.

"We are not used to this type of 6.0 fire, which at a certain moment becomes absolutely uncontrollable, and we are even less used to it occurring in the month of March," Lambán commented. He recalled that the technical conferences held recently in Aragon "proved to be very instructive" on the forestry issue.

"We are beginning to take very seriously what can come upon us in the coming months and years if we do not value what is coming our way with the dimension it really deserves. The fires are nothing like those that could have occurred 30 or 40 years, since the accumulation of biomass in the forest due to the abandonment of agricultural activities makes them authentic tinderboxes," he added.

In this sense, Lambán specified that a forest fire is increasingly becoming a civil protection problem "and we will have to remedy that."

Similarly, Puig has advocated "updating all processes, also technological and in the field of prevention." "There is a fundamental issue in these fires, which is depopulation: when depopulation advances, the possibilities of greater fires advance," she stated.

Ximo Puig has referred to the almost 1,500 people evicted in the Valencian Community and the 200 in Aragon, to whom at the request of "maximum prudence". "We know how difficult it is to be away from home right now and we want to provide the greatest comfort and hope that they are in the best possible conditions, taking into account that their homes and belongings are being protected," he emphasized.

Likewise, he has highlighted the "magnificent cooperation" between communities, as well as the help of others not affected by this fire. In the same way, he has praised the work of the more than 700 people from various fields, cooperating and collaborating, to make it possible to put out this fire. "They are professionals who are guaranteeing security, also of the security forces," he added.

Lambán has highlighted that there has always been coordination between the autonomous communities when this type of mishap has occurred, although this is the first time, "and we can say it with great pride", the operation has been formalized and systematized, so that in which the Operational Coordination Center (CECOP) works with a single command and that represents a substantial advance.

In addition, he has expressed his gratitude to the autonomous communities that are collaborating in the extinction work, and those that are expected to join. Also to the Military Emergency Unit (UME), "absolutely essential in this type of circumstance", to the Civil Guard, to the attached regional police, to the Red Cross, doctors and regions.

Media from different administrations participate in the extinction tasks, including the Castellón Provincial Fire Department, firefighters from the Provincial Consortiums of Alicante and Valencia, from the Castelló and Valencia City Council, forest firefighters from the Generalitat, the Government of Aragon and BRIF of the Ministry.

Precisely, the Government delegate in the Valencian Community, Pilar Bernabé, who has visited the WFP a few hours before, has indicated that during this Saturday media from Castilla-La Mancha, Murcia and the Community will join the tasks of extinguishing the fire. from Madrid.

Likewise, he has highlighted the "great collaboration and effort of all the Administrations" and, specifically, the "coordination" between Aragon and the Valencian Community, while ensuring that this Saturday is a "very important day", in which all the troops deployed "have to work at full capacity".

Bernabé has detailed that the Government of Spain has mobilized a total of 267 UME troops and 74 air and ground means. In addition, he has highlighted the "great work" of the Civil Guard, with 215 troops working in road control and traffic management, as well as in different accompaniments and evictions during the first hours of the fire.