The Riglos fire will be controlled "in the next few hours"

The Director-General of Emergencies of the Government of Aragon, Miguel Ángel Clavero, said on Friday that the fire that broke out on 10 August in Las Peñas de Riglos (Huesca) is fully stabilized and is expected to be controlled "in the next few hours", between late afternoon and late Saturday morning and late afternoon.

To say that it is extinct, however, we will still have to wait about a week, because the burnt perimeter is wide and there are areas within that perimeter that have not been burned and in which the flames can be inflamed, Clavero said after the meeting of the Integrated Operational Coordination Centre (Cecopi).

According to the balance sheet so far, the fire has affected 18,000 hectares , of which 14,000 to 15,000 have been burned, as there are unburned areas within the perimeter.

However, the numbers will have to be "adjusted" because although some areas have not burned, the trees will die from the heat. 

In the fire area, surveillance and control work continues to prevent the flames from reigniting, namely three light helicopters, one coordination, 10 ground crews, three helicopter commuters, seven self-pumps, a bulldozer, an advanced command post vehicle and specialized technicians.

The biggest and worst fire

Las Peñas de Riglos is the largest fire in Aragon this summer, and also the most serious, since almost 95% of the affected area is a forest mass of high ecological value, as in the case of the entire natural monument surrounding the monasteries of San Juan de la Peña.

With regard to the situation in the last few hours, the Director-General has stated that this Thursday a small storm fell that left between 2 and 5 litres in the area, which, he said, helped to control some small bulbs that remained active.

The work will focus on the small hot spots left this Friday to take the fire for granted.

All evacuees can return.

Clavero has announced that Cecopi has allowed 74 residents of Santa Cruz de los Seroseto return home, so 903 residents of the 19 areas that were evicted will be able to sleep at home today.

"For the gangs to work, a few hours will be allowed, if necessary by some means of air, to extinguish these hot spots, and they will return home as soon as they see that the situation is absolutely safe," he said.

A total of 1,046 people have been evacuated by fire these days, as the flames also damaged two campsites and a temporary camp.  

Basic services

All the roads thatwere closed are open, except that which connects Santa Cruz de la Seros with the crossing of Botaia, which passes through the monasteries of San Juan de la Peña, in principle, until 15 September, for safety, since there are very large trees that are "half burned" and must be removed, in addition to adapting these spaces, before starting their normal activity.

With regard to the drinking water supplyin the affected municipalities, he acknowledged that "it will still take a long time, not long, but it will take". Analyses are being carried out and water is being brought to tanks to make it potable.

It is also working to ensure basic services - electricity, water and telephony - in the municipalities affected by the fire.