Fire sweeps through Baix Empordà overnight as strong winds fan the flames
November 12, 2013Fire Crews overnight have been battling a massive fire sweeping through the Baix Empordà area in northeastern Catalonia, fanned by the strong tramuntana wind that blows off the Pyrenees. Some 70 fire engines, three helicopters and two aeroplanes are also in attendance since daylight allowed them to work, with another two planes expecting to arrive some time this morning.
The fire started at around dusk last night and quickly took hold near Vilopriu, an area consisting mainly of agricultural land. Advancing at a rate of four kilometres an hour already 1,000 hectares of land have been affected. A number of houses have been burnt in one Ampurdan village and some people evacuated as a precautionary measure.
While the wind dropped overnight, it is forecast to return at around midday, and is the real enemy of the firefighters. The danger is that the fire heads towards the Gavarres mountain range, which would mean a full forest fire. The area is currently closed as a precautionary measure.
Up to date info on the fires:
Catalan fire service on Twitter (@bomberscat)
If you don’t understand Catalan try Google Translate to get the jist of it.
Early information is that the fire started by the side of a road, which is typically due to discarded cigarettes. Although fires are more typical in the summer months, a long period without rain and super-low humidity combined with strong winds put Catalonia on fire alert several days ago, but few expected such a disasterous result as this.
Sources: La Vanguardia (including videos), Emporda.info, TV3
Tags: Ampurdan, Baix Empordà, Fire, Gavarres, socialmedia, Vilopriu
