The forest fire declared in Paüls (Tarragona) is still active and has burned about 3,200 hectares, of which more than a thousand belong to the Natural Park of Els Ports. The fire, fanned by the wind and the high temperatures, has forced to confine thousands of people and has affected numerous infrastructures and roads in the south of Catalonia.
The official information and the media emphasize that this fire, started in Paüls and spread to municipalities such as Xerta, Alfara de Carles, Aldover, Tivenys, Roquetes and neighborhoods of Tortosa, is the priority focus of emergency operations.
The situation is serious, there have been confinements of more than 18,000 people and thousands of hectares of areas such as the Parc Natural dels Ports de Baseït burned. We tell you how to help and where to get information to collaborate as possible with this natural disaster.
Where are the main fires and which are the affected municipalities
Official sources mention two critical points within the same fire affecting the south of Tarragona: one in Paüls and the other in Prat del Comte, both areas of difficult access and where firefighters are concentrating their efforts. No other large fires are reported to be active in the southern area of Tarragona at this time.
During the last hours, the confinement has affected about 18,000 people. Although the situation is evolving favorably, the confinement is maintained in Paüls, where mobility outside the municipality is limited. In the rest of the towns, such as Alfara de Carles, Xerta, Aldover, Roquetes, Tivenys and the neighborhoods of Reguers, Bítem and Jesús de Tortosa, the restrictions have been progressively lifted.
Roads closed
The TV-3541 road between Paüls and Xerta and the N 23B to Xerta have been closed in both directions since the beginning of the fire, hindering access to the area and the usual traffic. It is recommended to avoid unnecessary travel in the area and follow the indications of the Servei Català de Trànsit and Civil Protection.
Where to get updated information
Although there are several media covering the last hour of the fire, it is advisable to follow the official channels for the latest news from the main departments:
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Protección Civil de la Generalitat: Alertes i consells a temps real.
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Bombers de la Generalitat: State of the fire and operatives deployed.
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Servei Català de Trànsit: Information on road tolls.
The Mossos d’Esquadra are also involved in the fight against the fire.
Donations and aid
At the moment there are no official channels of help or volunteering, but Creu Roja Catalunya is one of the reference entities, with presence in the fire at the request of various municipalities, so you can collaborate with donations to the organization.
Of course , avoid approaching the area and pay attention to the indications of forest fire prevention of the Generalitat de Catalunya not to encourage fires in this particularly hot time of the year.