Authorities in northeastern Spain have urged approximately 45,000 residents across various municipalities to remain indoors due to heavy smoke from a significant wildfire. This fire has spread near the city of Bisbal d’Emporda in Catalonia, affecting local air quality and safety.
Residents in the eastern part of Girona province were instructed to keep their doors and windows closed, according to local officials on Friday. The blaze has already destroyed around 1,300 hectares of scrub and forest, equivalent to about 1,800 football fields, with reports indicating that a total of 2,200 hectares of vegetation have been impacted.
Currently, no human casualties have been reported as the flames, fueled by strong winds, continue to rage out of control. The fire has extended into the mountainous, forested region of Massis de les Gavarres, which spans approximately 35,000 hectares.
In response to the escalating situation, the Catalonia regional government has requested assistance from the Military Emergency Unit (UME). Meanwhile, police have arrested a man suspected of starting the fire, who was reportedly using a grinder while working on a road. Such equipment is known to generate extremely hot sparks that can easily ignite dry vegetation, and its use has been explicitly banned during the ongoing drought conditions in the area.
