The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, demands a major political and social agreement to tackle the climate emergency, after confirming that more than 170,000 hectares have already burned in Spain, six times more than last year.
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, visited the area of the La Vall d'Uixó fire (Castellón) on Wednesday and reiterated his call for a state pact in the face of the climate emergency. "Let us materialise a state pact against the climate emergency together," he urged from the Advanced Command Post, so that Spain is "more prepared and better equipped" for these phenomena.
The head of the Executive recalled that back in September last year he launched a proposal to all administrations, social agents, and political forces to establish a major national agreement linked to the climate emergency. "We must heed the science," he emphasised, insisting that this agreement must strengthen prevention capabilities against fire, so that the effects are less severe and reconstruction and recovery much quicker.
Sánchez highlighted the "commitment of the Government in response to the fire," with the deployment of resources from the National Civil Protection System provided according to the magnitude of the fires. He also announced that tomorrow the Council of Ministers will approve a Royal Decree Law declaring areas severely affected by civil protection emergencies in the areas damaged by the fires.
The President has emphasised the collaboration between administrations: "We must cooperate in response and reconstruction, but we also need to do so in prevention," he insisted. He also noted that more than 170,000 hectares have already burned across Spain, six times more than last year at the same time, and that the country is currently suffering from a dozen large fires.
In light of the expected rise in temperatures in the coming days, Sánchez warned that "difficult hours remain" and asked for "patience and understanding from citizens who are being evacuated from their homes or confined." "What we are doing is making decisions to protect those population centres and, of course, safeguard the lives of the residents," he justified.
The President also called on citizens to "exercise extreme caution" and to pay close attention to the instructions from public institutions. Additionally, he thanked the media for their work, as in these moments of distress, citizens "need accurate information" and it is important to "combat misinformation and falsehoods."
The state pact proposed by Sánchez would involve all administrations — central, regional, and local — as well as social agents and political parties. The aim is to improve prevention, response, and reconstruction in the face of fires and other extreme climate phenomena, which are multiplying in frequency and intensity.
For citizens, the main recommendation is to follow the authorities' instructions in case of a nearby fire, especially if an evacuation or confinement is ordered. The declaration of a severely affected area will expedite aid to those affected and the recovery of the burned areas.
The current situation, with more than 170,000 hectares burned so far this year, represents a record in the last decade. Experts link this increase to prolonged drought and heatwaves, which create conditions conducive to the spread of fire.
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