Fierce fire in the mountains of Córdoba: there are houses affected and evacuated

This morning there were new forest fires in the Córdoba mountains that forced preventive evacuations. One of the outbreaks was registered within an afforestation in the area of ​​the towns of Intiyaco and Athos Pampa, in the Calamuchita valley.

Almost simultaneously, another front was detected near San Clemente, Potrerillo and Potrero de Garay, this last place where the flames have already reached several cabins.

Three fire hydrant planes and almost one hundred firefighters from different barracks in the region work intensely in fighting fire, with the priority of preventing flames from approaching populated areas. The operatives to control the flames are given amid extreme heat and high winds that complicate tasks.

At around 15 o’clock in the afternoon of this Wednesday in Córdoba there were 32 degrees of temperature.

Diego Concha, Director General of Civil Protection of the province, said that the flames began around 7 o’clock and specified that in the area “there are a total of 16 volunteer fire brigades, three endowments from the ETAC, Personnel from the Provincial Fire Management Plan and Civil Defense.”

As he said, the headquarters of Regional 7, “La Cumbrecita, Villa Berna, Yacanto, Villa General Belgrano, Santa Rosa and Potrero de Garay”, he added.

The provincial government authorities reported that the 87 firefighters who work on the ground in the extinction tasks are added a hydrant plane that operates from Lake Los Molinos, two land-based water cargo that do so from the Villa General Belgrano runway, and a helicopter.

In addition, members of the Provincial Fire Management Plan, the provincial Civil Defense, the Secretariat for Climate Risk Management, Catastrophes and Civil Protection, and the Córdoba Police participate.

“Unfortunately for today the fire danger index in the entire provincial territory will be extreme. In the affected place, the weather conditions are not the best; the temperature will increase, with a very low percentage of humidity and strong north wind.” Concha warned.

For his part, the governor Juan Schiaretti, he reported that “In Potrero de Garay we are carrying out a preventive evacuation due to interface risk”, while the air and land resources, which the Province has, continue to work in place to mitigate this situation.

“I want to ask the affected families to please collaborate with the ETAC personnel, firefighters, police and civil defense who are working in the place,” the president requested through his social networks.

And he added: “We have the Permanent Fund for Disaster Situations in operation to deal with all material and environmental damage that may occur. Right now, the important thing is to save human lives”.

In this regard, the mayor of Potrero de Garay, Gerardo Martinez, indicated to the middle Chain 3 that so far it would be “about 80 neighbors” who have already been evacuated by the authorities, while others evicted their homes on their own.

“Two or three hours ago we had difficult moments. We have evacuated many neighbors. Much area was burned in a short time, it is very sad,” said the municipal president.

The causes of the fire in both places are still unknown.

From the provincial government they warn that “due to the dry season and the recklessness of a few, the people of Cordoba are in a situation of extreme fires,” so they released a series of recommendations for the population: do not burn garbage or pruning remains; do not throw cigarette butts or lighted matches in fields, forests or wooded areas; If a fire starts in the grass and does not reach intensity, put it out by hitting the flame with a blanket or bag, if possible wet; in the event of a risky situation, follow the instructions of the firefighters or authorities in charge; request assistance by calling 101 (Police) 100 (Firefighters) or 0800 888 38346 (FIRE).

Last year, the province of Córdoba suffered between August and October the most serious annual statistics regarding forest fires in the last 20 years. According to the Federation of Volunteer Firefighters of Córdoba, the fire covered more than 320,000 hectares during that period. As a consequence, the incident also it affected some 90,000 hectares in San Luis.

At that time, the largest fire started in mountainous areas of the department Ischilín and then it reached out to him Ongamira Valley and the north of the department Punilla.

Another outbreak of considerable extension was also registered a few kilometers to the south, on the Sierras Chicas, between the cities of La Calera and Cosquín. While fires of lesser magnitude and duration broke out in the cities of La Falda, Achiras and Valle Hermoso.