Catalonia's Gavarres wildfire triggers judicial probe into cause

In June, Spain recorded about 15,900 hectares burned by forest fires, including the Gavarres wildfire in Catalonia. Emergency services use four phases to describe a fire’s status – active, stabilized, controlled and extinguished – to inform the public about containment progress.

Catalan government minister Silvia Paneque said a judicial procedure will determine responsibility for the Gavarres blaze. Preliminary findings point to a radial machine used by a maintenance worker on the GI‑660 road as the ignition source. The worker, employed by a joint venture of Construcciones Rubau SA and Aquaterra Servicios Infraestructuras SL, has been held for 48 hours while authorities examine whether the error was personal or due to communication failures. The minister emphasized that the contract for road‑maintenance work lacks detailed task specifications and that the companies must follow fire‑prevention plans, which prohibit the use of metal equipment at level 3 risk. Paneque awaits the judge’s ruling before deciding on any further administrative actions.