This Sunday, a large forest fire that originated in the French Pyrenees advanced uncontrolled into Spanish territory through the town of Portbou, Girona. The fire has so far affected about 550 hectares and has forced residents to evacuate several houses as a precaution. The Spanish authorities have deployed 25 ground crews and 63 people to fight the fire, while the aerial resources sent to the site have returned to base due to the strong wind blowing in the area. Several isolated farmhouses and apartments in the town of Portbou have been evacuated by the Mossos d’Esquadra as a precaution, although the exact number of people affected is unknown.
The Servei Català de Trànsit has cut the National-260 road at the Portbou border heading north and has reported that, on the French side, the RD-914 road is cut between the municipalities of Cervera de la Marenda and Banyuls. In addition, since midday, the railway connection with France has been closed.
The fire broke out between the French towns of Cerbère and Banyuls-sur-Mer and is being pushed by the Tramontana wind. The firefighters of the Generalitat, which from the beginning of the fire sent teams to France to help the French firefighters, have worked with all their strength against the fire in the area of Puig de la Farella. The Mossos d’Esquadra are asking residents to follow the instructions of the emergency services to ensure their safety, while the Catalan police are controlling road access to ensure that the evacuated area remains safe.