The forest fire that has been raging in the Sierra de Ayllón in Guadalajara since last Sunday remains out of control, and efforts became more complicated this Friday.

The situation reached such a critical point that the Provincial Operational Coordination Center (CECOP) decided to raise the emergency level for this fire to Level 2, which started in the town of Peñalba de la Sierra due to a lightning strike.

The flames have already scorched more than 1,300 hectares because “the fire has spread more than expected, entering complicated areas, and has worsened as a result of a change in wind direction,” said the regional minister, Mercedes Gómez.

She went on to say that the evacuation of the Guadalajara towns of Peñalba de la Sierra and Cabida had been necessary as a precaution.

There has also been a request for intervention from the Military Emergency Unit (UME) as fighting this fire is proving very complicated given the very steep area—there are almost vertical walls of rock—to which only aerial resources have relatively easy access. Therefore, the decision has been made to create emergency firebreaks to help prevent it from spreading further.

For several days now, firefighting personnel have received help from the Community of Madrid, and Castile and León, adding available resources to those of the Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha.

However, an opposition party (PP) consider that the handling of this fire has been “shameful and irresponsible” demanding political accountability.

This criticism also focuses on the possible delay in responding in the first hours of the fire and the reduction in firefighting operations after several firefighting teams had been deactivated days before. In this regard, according to the CSIF union, “the resources have been progressively dismantled, and while the previous firefighting campaign lasted 112 days, from June 1st to September 30th at the earliest, this same campaign has now been reduced to 96 days at best, with units consisting of fewer than four members, temporary contracts, and limited training.”

Editorial comment: the PP received heavy criticism over their handling of the fires in Galicia, so they appear to be ‘getting their own back, on the PSOE who are in power in Castilla-La Mancha, whether it is deserved or not.

(News: Peñalba de la Sierra, Sierra de Ayllón, Guadalajara, Castilla-La Mancha)

Keywords: Fire, Uncontrolled, Restricted Resources, Criticism,

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