Oviedo (EFE).- A total of 375 people have already been evacuated due to the wave of forest fires registered in Asturias, which this Friday adds 121 active sources, according to the latest information provided by the Emergency Service of the Principality of Asturias (SEPA).
The evacuations have been concentrated in the western area, the area hardest hit by the fires, in the councils of Allande, Aller, Belmonte de Miranda, Valdés, Tineo and Villayón, although they have also occurred in Oviedo, Siero and Llanera, in the central area, and in Piloña, in the east.
The extinction efforts are concentrated in the council of Valdés, where the A-8 motorway and the N-634 highway, which connect Asturias and Galicia, remain cut off in both directions with no alternative detours, as is the N-632, which links Valdés and Ribadesella, and the autonomous highways AS-14, AS-351 and AS-219.
Another section of the Military Emergency Unit with 50 troops and 20 vehicles has joined the extinguishing work today, adding to the 95 soldiers and 40 media already working in the region.
In addition, another Forest Fire Reinforcement Brigade has also been added from Tabuyo, in León, bringing there are now three BRIF deployed on the ground together with the one from Tineo and another from Cáceres.
In the operation, which will add around 700 troops, the Asturias Firefighters, members of forestry companies, the natural environment nursery, Civil Protection volunteers, as well as personnel specialized in investigating the origin of the fires are also working.
arson
The authorities agree that the origin of the wave of fires has been intentional, as in other similar episodes recorded in 2015 and 2017, in which the Civil Guard and the Prosecutor’s Office found that 80 percent of the outbreaks had been intentional.
The Government delegate in Asturias, Delia Losa, affirmed yesterday that the Civil Guard is “clear” that many of the fires have been intentional and “is investigating possible suspects”, although it still lacks “sufficient data to proceed with arrests”. .
Losa guaranteed that, as soon as someone’s involvement is proven, “the full weight of the law” will fall on them, because causing a fire means “an attack against Asturias, against biodiversity and against people”.
In the same sense, the President of the Principality, Adrián Barbón, assured that “all the forcefulness of the law” will fall on “the fire terrorists” who are “burning Asturias” so that they pay for the damage caused “absolutely”.
Barbón, who advocated toughening the penalties established in the Penal Code for these “criminals”, insisted that “it is clear” that the fires “are intentional”, at least in 90 percent of the cases, and that “the issue is to determine the who”.
The wind continues to hinder the extinction work
The extinction work was hampered yesterday and the day before yesterday due to the lack of rain, the high temperatures and, above all, the strong gusts of wind of more than 100 kilometers per hour.
The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) forecasts some light rain and scattered showers for this Friday, but in the west, the area hardest hit by the fires, very strong gusts of wind will continue to blow.
In this situation, the 78 Asturian councils continue this Friday at extreme risk of forest fires, according to the daily index published by the Ministry of Rural Affairs. EFE