Juanma Moreno declares the Los Gallardos fire controlled and assures that "it no longer poses a threat"

The president of the Junta de Andalucía, Juanma Moreno, announced this Monday that the Los Gallardos forest fire is "technically controlled" after five days of uninterrupted work by emergency teams. The fire, one of the deadliest suffered by Andalusia, has caused 13 deaths and has devastated more than 7,000 hectares in several municipalities in eastern Almería.

Moreno communicated the favorable evolution from the Advanced Command Post installed in Turre, where he appeared accompanied by Alberto Núñez Feijóo. "The fire is now technically considered controlled," he stated before explaining that the personnel have managed to extinguish the small outbreaks detected during the day.

The Andalusian president received confirmation from the technicians as "good news" within a tragedy that still leaves hospitalized victims, families awaiting the identification of their loved ones, and a vast devastated territory. Six of the thirteen deceased have already been identified: one Spanish citizen and five people from the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, and the United States.

Infoca will continue to monitor the area

That the fire is controlled means that its perimeter is secured and that the flames have stopped advancing. Complete extinction will still require several days of work on a very damaged surface, with hot spots capable of reactivating if the wind or humidity changes.

A brigade from the Infoca Plan will remain in the area to cool the ground and monitor any possible re-ignition. Moreno has assured that the fire "no longer poses a threat as such" and highlighted that weather forecasts are now playing in favor of the operation. Relative humidity could approach 90% in the coming hours, which will facilitate the cooling of the burned vegetation.

The fire was stabilized on Sunday, which allowed the progressive return of around a thousand residents who remained evacuated. The affected perimeter reaches about 40 kilometers and covers areas of Los Gallardos, Bédar, and other nearby points, where the evaluation of homes, agricultural exploitations, infrastructures, and natural spaces will now begin.

Moreno has thanked the work of the professionals from Infoca, the Military Emergency Unit, the Civil Guard, Civil Protection, health services, and municipal teams. He has also highlighted the coordination maintained between administrations since the emergency began, a collaboration he considered decisive in stopping the advance of a particularly fast and dangerous fire.

Sánchez offers resources for reconstruction

Pedro Sánchez visited the command post in the morning alongside Juanma Moreno, the Government delegate in Andalusia, Pedro Fernández, and Vice President María Jesús Montero. The President of the Government has extended his condolences to the families of the 13 victims and has guaranteed that the State will mobilize public resources to help rebuild the affected areas and compensate for material losses.

Sánchez has advocated for "cooperation, unity, and coherence of action" between the central Government, the Junta, the Provincial Council, and the municipalities. The Executive made all requested resources available to the operation during the emergency and will maintain its collaboration during the recovery phase.

The head of the Executive took advantage of his visit to once again call for a state pact against the climate emergency to strengthen prevention, citizen education, and the coordination of public resources. "The climate emergency kills," he warned after recalling that Spain accounted for one-third of all burned surface area in Europe last year.

Juanma Moreno has announced that, once the extinction is secured, the Junta expects to begin the first recovery actions next week. Infoca personnel will continue to cool and review the perimeter until the Los Gallardos fire can be definitively declared extinguished.