Last Tuesday, 21 June, the Minister of Presidency, Equality, Public Service and Interior of the Government of Navarra, Javier Remírez, announced the decision to lower the emergency alert in Navarra. The situation has improved and the Government of Navarre has therefore decided to suspend the ban on harvesting with machinery. In addition, the following municipalities are still emptied: Amatriain, Makirriain, Santsoain and Olleta. In total, about 85-90 inhabitants have been expelled from their villages.

The Navarro Civil Protection and Emergency Service’s Twitter account updates the situation. On the morning of 21 June, an estimated 10,000 hectares of fires were incubated on a provisional basis.

The counsellor said that on 20 June the ban on harvesting machinery ended, but the ban was extended until Friday. It insists, however, that if the situation continues to improve, the ban may end sooner. And that was the case, on 22 June in the morning it was known that the ban was lifted.

Rain helps

It has rained in Navarre, which has helped the emergency services to stabilize the fires that were on, according to the Twitter account of the Civil Protection and Emergency Service of Navarra.

Remirez explained to the media that the situation has improved, but that “what worries us right now is the eastern front of Navarre, San Martín de Unx and the area of Gallipienzo”. However, on the morning of 22 June, 112 SOS Navarra (Servicio Navarro de Protección Civil y Emergencies) declared that all fires are stabilized.

Care still needs to be taken

112 SOS Navarre asks the public not yet to approach the areas where the fires have occurred, because it can be dangerous. He emphasizes that there is “great instability” in soils and trees, and adds that forest roads can be collapsed by hindering the passage of firefighters and other resources.