Catalonia forest fires spur criticism of emergency communication and forest management

A wildfire in the Corral del Petiquillo area near Peníscola forced the evacuation of several homes in the Vistamar urbanisation. Local emergency services, firefighters and security forces were praised for their response, but Compromís deputy Núria Isern criticised the Benicarló municipal government for failing to provide clear, official information to residents. Isern called for a review of municipal communication protocols and highlighted that the forested area had not been cleaned for three years, stressing the need for better prevention measures.

Separately, a large blaze in the Gavarres massif highlighted long‑standing problems with forest maintenance in Catalonia. Mayors of the most affected towns – Santa Cristina d’Aro, Calonge, Bisbal d’Empordà and Cruïlles, Monells i Sant Sadurní de l’Heura – said municipal resources and regional support were insufficient to keep the forests in a condition that would prevent such fires. They demanded more funding, streamlined bureaucracy and a coordinated strategy from the Generalitat. Regional president Salvador Illa defended the government's actions, noting a plan to create firebreak corridors and reduce forest continuity.

Both incidents have intensified calls for improved emergency communication and a systematic overhaul of forest‑management policies across the region.