The president of the Diputación de Zaragoza, Juan Antonio Sánchez Quero, met this Friday afternoon with the mayors of the municipalities affected by the Orés forest fire to learn first-hand about their needs. In this sense, Quero has announced that «the DPZ will take care of all damage to municipal property and infrastructure».
The president explained that «the fire is not yet under control so it is still too early to take stock of the losses». However, Quero has advanced to the mayors and residents of the affected towns that «they know from now on that the Provincial Council of Zaragoza will take care of 100 percent of the damage they suffer in municipal goods and infrastructures».
In this context, the president recalled the previous large fires in the community. «We already did it like this after thegreat fires of 2022 in Ateca and Moncayo and of course we will do it again in this devastating fire that has already burned more than 12,000 hectares» and stressed that «the Provincial Council of Zaragoza will assume the damage that occurs in streets, parks, swimming pools, machines, vehicles or any good or infrastructure owned by the affected municipalities».
REQUEST FOR A CATASTROPHIC ZONE AND CRITICISM OF THE PREVENTION AND EXTINCTION MODEL
Sánchez Quero has also advanced that «the Provincial Council of Zaragoza will request the declaration of a catastrophic area for the affected municipalities». In addition, the president has transferred his support to the people who have had to leave their towns. «I want to show solidarity with the residents evacuated from their villages, because it is very hard to see how their fields and mountains are burned and to have to abandon their homes,» he lamented.
However, Quero wanted to send a message of tranquility to the population. «From the different institutions we are turning with all our resources to put out the fire and they can return to their homes as soon as possible.» He also thanked «from the heart» the work of the firefighters of the Provincial Council of Zaragoza, as well as that of the rest of the bodies and personnel deployed.
Sánchez Quero also referred to the consequences of climate change and called for a reflection on the model of prevention and extinction of forest fires in the autonomous community. «Climate change is already a reality, although there are deniers who occupy vice-presidencies and important ministries in the regional governments who do not want to recognize it,» he criticized.
«The competence in management, prevention and extinction of forest fires lies with the Government of Aragón, which is why I invite Mr. Azcón to reflect and analyze the service model that we want for Aragon to fight these sixth generation fires with guarantees,» said Quero. In addition, he recalled «the possibility of creating a consortium of firefighters under a single command for all of Aragon».
