Collserola Fire: Preventive Lockdown in Torre Baró and Ciutat Meridiana

Firefighters are working to control a forest fire near the Canyelles neighborhood in Barcelona, which has triggered an SMS alert.

Smoke column from a fire in Collserola, Barcelona.
IA

Smoke column from a fire in Collserola, Barcelona.

A forest fire broke out on Tuesday afternoon in the Collserola mountain range, north of Barcelona, near the Canyelles neighborhood. Authorities have ordered a preventive lockdown for residents of Torre Baró and Ciutat Meridiana as a precautionary measure.

The alert for the fire, which is spreading through a scrubland area and affecting approximately eight hectares, was sent to mobile phones via an ES-Alert message from Civil Protection. Residents were instructed to close doors and windows and remain indoors. The Catalan Fire Department has deployed five aerial units and ground crews, supported by eight units from the Barcelona Fire Department. The deputy mayor for Security of the city, Albert Batlle, has visited the scene.
The fire, which started at 3:20 PM, is advancing above the Alta de les Roquetes road towards Sant Cugat. The primary concern is the right flank of the fire, with efforts focused on preventing it from crossing the municipal boundary of Barcelona towards Cerdanyola. Civil Protection has activated the pre-alert for the Infocat plan.
The smoke plume is visible from various parts of the city, including the Ronda de Dalt, and also from the Vallès Occidental region. The emergency number 112 has received over a thousand calls in just one hour due to the fire. The Guàrdia Urbana has implemented traffic diversions on the Carretera d'Horta to Cerdanyola, the Carretera del Cementiri de Collserola, and the Carretera Alta de les Roquetes to facilitate firefighting operations.
This is the second fire in Collserola this summer, following the one that affected the Sant Pere Màrtir area on August 14th, which also necessitated the preventive lockdown of residents in Can Caralleu. In that incident, one person was arrested, and the Municipal Action Plan for forest fires was activated, only to be deactivated last week.