The wildfire ravaging Catalonia’s Baix Ebre region shows no sign of slowing after scorching more than 3,150 hectares of land.
Nearly 400 firefighters and 14 aircraft are battling the blaze, but authorities admit they are at the mercy of the so-called Mistral wind (a strong, northwesterly wind that blows from southern France into the Gulf of Lion in the northern Mediterranean).
At the forefront of concern is the fire’s left flank, which threatens to reach Els Ports Natural Park, described as an area with limited access for emergency vehicles and no viable road network for a direct front-line response.
If the flames break through, fire officials warn, it could become a ‘long-burning fire’ that spreads rapidly through difficult terrain.
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‘The priority right now is preventing that fire from breaching the park’s perimeter,’ said Francesc Boya, head of the Generalitat’s Fire Department, speaking Tuesday from the command centre in Tortosa.
‘If it does, we’re looking at a scenario that becomes increasingly difficult to contain.’
The blaze has already forced the confinement of roughly 18,000 residents across several municipalities, including Paüls, Aldover, Xerta, Alfara de Carles, Tivenys, Roquetes, and Tortosa’s neighbourhoods of Bitem, Jesus, and els Reguers.
Authorities say the next goal is to ease restrictions slightly, shifting from strict home confinement to a municipal lockdown, allowing residents outside their homes but not beyond town limits.
So far, four people have suffered minor injuries.
Firefighters are at the mercy of the wind
For now, the wind continues to dictate the fire’s path. Throughout Tuesday morning, a dry mistral wind pushed the flames eastward, toward the Mediterranean.
But forecasts suggested a possible change in wind direction by afternoon. A shift bringing in moisture from the sea could help crews regain some control, reversing the fire’s momentum and potentially turning its head into the tail.
‘We cannot underestimate the role of the weather,’ said Boya. ‘We’re hoping for favourable conditions that will allow us to stabilise the fire overnight.’
Catalan Interior Minister Nuria Parlon, also on the ground in Tortosa, emphasised the scale of the effort ahead.
‘Many hours of work remain,’ she said. ‘The residents are our absolute priority.’
She also stressed the importance of preventing the fire from jumping the Ebro River toward the Cardo mountain range, another ecologically sensitive zone.
‘Both flanks are our tactical and strategic focus this afternoon,’ she said.
Should the fire enter Els Ports, especially via the left flank near Paüls, the impact would be severe.
‘We’d be dealing with a fire in very hostile terrain – one with limited manoeuvrability, more burned hectares, and a much longer life cycle,” Boya warned.
Catalan President Salvador Illa confirmed that four people had suffered only minor injuries and urged residents to heed all official updates.
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