The heat is not diminishing. The extreme and dangerous heatwave Catalonia is experiencing has forced the Catalan ministry of the Interior to tighten restrictions, in view of the risk of fire, as shown this weekend by the fatal forest fires in Bages (Barcelona) and Noguera (Lleida). The restrictions approved a week ago have been extended in about eighty more towns, in seven more regions, and the ministry also ordered the closing of two more natural parks, the Montmell-Marmellar and Montsant, after learning that on Friday temperatures will still go up a little more, causing extreme situations throughout Catalonia.
❗ Heatwave restrictions in Catalonia and risk of fire: everything you need to know
With the addition of these new towns, which will have to comply with the compulsory measures presented last week, there are now 357 towns in 27 counties under Plan Alfa 3 (the highest level of the Catalan government fire prevention plan) and access will be restricted to eleven natural parks throughout the country: Montgrí, Cap de Creus, the Albera, the Gabarras, Montsec d'Ares, Montsec de Rúbies, Baronia de Rialp, Montserrat, Sant Llorenç del Munt and Ubach, Montsant and Montmell-Marmellar. According to the Catalan ministry of Interior, it is the largest activation ever in terms of towns, counties and access control in natural parks.
Restrictions approved for over 300 towns in Catalonia
In the 357 towns where these measures are activated as from Friday, educational leisure activities such as camping, hiking, running and sport activities conducted in the natural environment are suspended, and must be transferred to inhabited areas or return to the point of origin. Also, camp, stay and sport campuses' activities must be restricted to the immediate surroundings of the buildings where the overnight stay takes place.
Restrictions also forbid the holiday camps and sports camps' activities in the village, unless they are moved to another village and are not conducted in the natural environment. Agricultural activities with the use of machinery are prohibited between 12:00 and 18:00. Harvesting fruit and horticultural products, mowing alfalfa and other grasses, ploughing stubble fields and rice cultivation is permitted.
The Catalan minister of interior also ordered the suspension of work on the interurban road network involving the use of machinery which poses a fire risk, including the mowing of ditches, except with express authorisation of the Catalan Traffic Service and a prior report from the Directorate General of Rural Agents. Exceptional uses of the road on the Catalan interurban road network in Catalonia corresponding to sporting events, cycle rallies, filming, tourist trains, rallies and other similar events are also suspended, except those expressly authorised by the Catalan Traffic Service with a prior report from the Directorate General for Rural Agents. The use of tools such as blowers and radial saws is restricted within a 500-metre area of forests and within a 50-metre area of agricultural land. Movement of forest products within the forest has also been restricted between 12:00 and 19:00.
When will the restrictions be enforced?
These new measures, which affect more towns, will be in force from 00.00 hours tomorrow Friday 22nd of July until 00.00 hours on Tuesday 26th, that is, from Friday 22nd to Monday 25th; both included.
🔴 Counties affected by this Alfa 3 Plan
Alt Camp (4 towns)
Alt Empordà (45 towns)
Alt Penedès (15 towns)
Alt Urgell (5 towns)
Anoia (18 towns)
Bages (30 towns)
Baix Empordà (24 towns)
Baix Llobregat (24 towns)
Baix Penedès (8 towns)
Barcelonès (3 towns),
Conca de Barberà (4 towns)
Garraf (6 towns)
Garrigues (12 towns)
Gironès (19 towns)
Marisma (11 towns)
Moianès (6 towns)
Nogal (19 towns)
Pallars Jussà (6 towns)
Pla de l'Estany (9 towns)
Priorat (11 towns)
Ribera d'Ebre (1 town)
Segarra (6 towns)
Selva (12 towns)
Solsonès (11 towns)
Urgell (6 towns)
Vallès Occidental (19 towns)
Vallès Oriental (25 towns)