Catalonia mourns firefighter killed while battling Paüls wildfire, now under control

The wildfire in Paüls, in southern Catalonia, was declared under control at 11 pm on Thursday after burning since midday Monday, having affected 3,321 hectares.

However, the relief brought by this news was overshadowed by the tragic death of a firefighter who was working to contain the blaze on Thursday afternoon.

The firefighter, Antonio Serrano, died in a fall at the scene of the fire around 2.17 pm. He had been sitting on a large rock that gave way, causing him to fall more than 20 meters.

Serrano, 46, was stationed in Granollers, just north of Barcelona, and had recently joined the fire station there. The Catalan government declared an official day of mourning in his honor.

Originally from Tortosa, near the site of the wildfire, he was a member of the Active Prevention Team (EPAF), responsible for clearing vegetation, preparing firebreaks, and locating hot spots for cooling.

On Thursday, the fire brigade mourned the loss of their colleague. In Granollers, dozens of firefighters gathered in silence around the vehicle Serrano used, paying tribute with a minute of silence.

The ceremony ended with the sounding of the deceased firefighter’s vehicle sirens, joined by fellow firefighters, police officers, forest rangers, and local authorities.

Serrano had only been stationed in Granollers for a month. In his hometown of Tortosa, the news of his death was met with deep sorrow.

On Friday morning, around a hundred people gathered in front of the city council building, where Serrano had previously worked, to pay tribute. His family was present at the ceremony.

Tortosa’s mayor noted that the Serrano family is "well known" in the area and said Antonio had arrived at the fire on Thursday "full of enthusiasm and eager to help, because he was a great lover of the Ports natural park, where he often practiced outdoor sports."

"As a city, we are in shock," the mayor added. "We were relieved that the fire, which had pushed us to the limit in recent days, was finally under control, until the accident happened."

Under control

Firefighters will continue monitoring the fire for the next 72 hours before declaring it extinguished. Overnight, 13 ground units were watering the area and limiting the fire's area.

Flames have burned down 3,321 hectares of farming and forest areas, over 1,000 of them were part of the Ports Natural Park.

Firefighters declared the fire stabilized on Wednesday at 1 pm, and rain registered on Thursday afternoon, which was a welcome assistance in limiting the area and controlling the hotspots using drones and thermal cameras.

To learn more about Catalonia’s wildfire strategy, the history of its firefighters, and how they prepare to tackle fires, listen to the podcast below.