The heart of Las Médulas, a World Heritage Site, has lived through hours of real suffering due to a fire that has surrounded the most emblematic archaeological and natural site of El Bierzo. The reddish image of its peaks and the green of the chestnut trees have been left overshadowed by smoke and the black of ash, on a day that many residents describe as the hardest they can remember.
As the hours passed, part of the perimeter has managed to stabilize, but the risk of reproduction remains and evictions remain in effect to prevent further damage. Emergency teams are urging patience: the priority is the safety of people while hot spots are being finished off.
Situation and extent of the fire
The fire originated in the surroundings of Yeres (Domingo Flórez Bridge) and, driven by strong gusts, ended up penetrating the area of Las Médulas. During the early morning and early morning, the operation secured the northwest sector, between Carucedo and Orellán, while the most active front was concentrated in the southeastern flank, towards Pombriego, an area of complicated orography.
The evolution has been unusual because of the combination of changeable wind, heat and extremely dry vegetationOperation technicians report that the advance reached ten times what was expected at times, forcing them to withdraw and redesign their strategy to protect population centers and assets.
So far there are no personal victims, although two firefighters were slightly injured In a violent incident that surprised several fire crews. Access remains under control by the Civil Guard to prevent premature entry into areas with burning embers.
Evacuations and emergency devices
The advance of the fire forced evict hundreds of neighbors from the immediate surroundings: Las Médulas, Carucedo, Orellán and Voces, among other nearby towns. In total, around 700 people They left their homes in an orderly manner, many of them welcomed by relatives and some relocated to municipal resources. Ponferrada.
The response has been massive: more than 500 professionals of the autonomous operation and other communities, together with about 200 UME soldiers, have worked on several fronts, supported by about twenty aerial resources during daylight hours. Their priority, in addition to the urban perimeter, has been to contain the fronts that threatened dense forests.
Emergency services have insisted on following evacuation instructions and avoid self-interventions"Life comes first," they emphasize, after attending minor incidents in individuals who were trying to extinguish the flames with domestic means.
Damage to heritage, homes and natural environment
In the helmet of Las Médulas Are accounted for at least five homes affected, as well as auxiliary buildings such as warehouses, sheds and chicken coops. In Carucedo, the fire even grazed several houses, with perimeters and orchards burned, although the quick action of the teams prevented further damage to inhabited buildings.
The facilities linked to the visit to the site have also suffered: the Interpretation Room/Archaeological Room presents significant damage and in areas surrounding the Orellán viewpoint Damage to wooden railings and floors has been reported. The exact magnitude is being evaluated by Culture and Heritage technicians.
The blow is felt in the natural environment: they have burned century-old chestnut trees and scrubland surrounding the clay peaks. The Las Médulas Foundation indicated that the fire entered fully into the Cultural and Natural Space, with incidents in enclaves such as Lago Somido, Campo de Braña and Predices, awaiting more detailed expert reports.
For the moment, the core elements of archaeological value have not been declared conclusively damaged, and any restoration intervention will be addressed after completing the extinction and consolidating security of the area.