Forest fire in Pueyo de Araguás: 35 hectares destroyed and evacuation of residents

A forest fire has caused concern in the town of Pueyo de Araguás, in the Sobrarbe region, Huesca (Aragon), after burning around 35 hectares of land and forcing the evacuation of approximately 40 residents. The situation has been classified as active by the General Director of Forest Management, Ana Oliván, who has emphasized that, so far, the causes of the fire are unknown. The fire started at 5:00 p.m. in crop fields, quickly spreading to adjacent lands and prompting the elevation of the Special Emergency Civil Protection Plan for Forest Fires of Aragon (PROCINFO) to level 1. In an effort to contain the situation, measures such as cutting high-voltage lines and the access road to the nearby towns near the fire have been taken. During the night, the INFOAR Operative of the Government of Aragon deployed three fire engines, six ground brigades, a bulldozer, an Advanced Command Post (PMA), technical personnel, and Agents for the Protection of Nature (APN) to combat the flames. For today, Wednesday, the incorporation of aerial means and helitransported teams from both the Government of Aragon and the Government of Spain is expected. The head of the Security and Civil Protection Service, Jorge Crespo, stressed the need to preventively evacuate residents near the fire, moving 37 people from Torrelisa, Araguás, and San Lorién to safe places such as the sports hall and the town's residence. Of the evacuees, four have been accommodated in the regional residence of Aínsa, while accommodation is being sought for other affected individuals. Given this situation, the President of the Government of Aragon, Jorge Azcón, is planning to visit the area with local authorities to supervise the situation and provide support to the affected residents. It is worth noting that Aragon is on red alert for the risk of forest fires due to high temperatures and dry terrain, which has increased the concern of authorities and the population about the possibility of new incidents. In this context, citizen collaboration in the prevention of forest fires is essential, as well as the prompt and effective response of emergency services to control and extinguish these disasters. Solidarity and coordination between institutions and citizens are key to facing emergency situations like the one experienced in Pueyo de Araguás, where the prompt action of the firefighting teams has prevented major damages and ensured the safety of the area's inhabitants.