In just one week, over 84,000 people have been affected by confinement measures due to forest fires occurring in Catalonia. This strategy, reinforced by firefighters and Civil Protection, has been implemented due to the risk posed by the proximity of fires to inhabited areas.
The most notable incident was in Guimerà (Urgell), where 19,000 people were confined. Other significant fires include the one in La Bisbal d'Empordà (Baix Empordà), which affected 12,000 people, and the one in Navarcles (Bages), with 9,000 people confined. The Anoia region was the most impacted, with 33,000 residents receiving ES-Alert messages to stay at home.
Imma Solé, deputy director general of Coordination and Emergency Management, acknowledged that some citizens do not follow instructions, endangering their safety. Solé emphasized that confinement is requested when there is a "risk to life or health" and that being inside a building offers more effective protection than attempting to flee independently, particularly due to the risks of smoke and reduced visibility.
Evacuations, considered an extreme measure, are only carried out when the evacuation route is completely safe and the inhabited area is genuinely threatened.
