Fire in Tarragona threatens over a dozen farmhouses

The fire was reported by Fire Department of the Generalitat on Monday in El Perello, Tarragona.

The fire originated in the morning in a wooded area near the wind farm of Colladetes, between El Perelló and Rasquera, right on the border between the Baix Ebre and the Ribera d’Ebre.

Over 200 firefighters and workers were involved in the stabilization of the fire which was brought under control early Tuesday morning.

By this time the fire had burned around 200 hectares of white pine forest and had caused the preventative measures of evacuating around 30 people from 18 nearby farmhouses.

The cause of the fire was discovered to be caused by the burning of olive shrubs without the correct measures put in place to contain the fire. The dry nature of the land and prevailing winds fanned the flames and the fire soon became out of control.

Both ground and air units were enlisted to help with putting out the blaze with strong wind gusts and thick smoke making the operation difficult.