Wildfire in southern Catalonia stabilized after burning 3,300 hectares

The wildfire that has been burning in southern Catalonia for the past two days is now stabilized.

By midday Wednesday, firefighters confirmed they had fully contained the perimeter of the Baix Ebre blaze.

The confirmation came just hours after reporting that 90% of the perimeter was under control.

Two remaining hotspots in rugged, hard-to-reach terrain had delayed full stabilization, but they have now been stabilized as well.

As a result, stay-at-home orders have been lifted in most affected towns, except for Paüls, which is still very close to the fire.

However, Joan Rovira, head of operations of the firefighters, urged continued caution.

“Stabilization is just the first phase. The fire is neither controlled nor extinguished, it simply means the perimeter is no longer expanding,” he warned.

The good news was warmly welcomed by the 18,000 residents who had been confined to their homes for the past two days and can now finally go outside.

The orders were in place in the towns of Paüls, Xerta, Alfara de Carles, Aldover, Tivenys, Roquetes, and several neighborhoods of Tortosa.

Restrictions requiring residents to remain within their towns in Prat de Comte and Pinell de Brai have also been lifted.

Firefighters also noted that the stay-at-home order for Paüls residents is less about immediate danger and more due to heavy firefighter traffic in the area.

Meanwhile, the two main roads near the wildfire — the C-12 and the C-43 — have fully reopened after being partially closed since the fire began.

Several smaller roads remain closed, including the T-301, TV-3541, TV-3422, and N-230b.

Weather could be key

Despite the good news, firefighters remain cautious due to two critical hotspots and uncertain weather conditions.

“We are closely monitoring the weather because its impact is unpredictable. The fire is near a storm, which could bring either rain or erratic winds,” Rovira said.

Although there’s a risk of shifting winds, Rovira added they don’t expect any "major surprises."

Forecasts indicate higher humidity, temperatures staying below 30ºC, and the possibility of light rain, conditions that would favor firefighting efforts.

The challenge with the two remaining hotspots, one near Paüls and the other in the Alfara de Carles area, is their rugged, difficult-to-access terrain.

Aerial units began operating this morning and will play a key role in tackling the fire in these remote areas.

In fact, firefighters must be airlifted into some of these locations due to the inaccessibility of the terrain.

Night brings major gains

Nearly 500 firefighters have been working on the blaze throughout the night and will continue efforts during the day.

Favorable wind conditions overnight helped firefighters prevent the fire from spreading into the Ports natural park, a scenario that could have pushed the burned area up to 18,000 hectares, the worst-case projection.

The wildfire, which broke out on Monday morning, has already scorched 3,321 hectares of forest, with one-third of the area inside the Ports natural park.

With this blaze, this wildfire season has already become the most devastating in the past 12 years, with over 9,000 hectares burned and the entire summer season still ahead.

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.