Lorraine Williamson
A major wildfire in Girona has forced tens of thousands of people to stay indoors as flames spread from the La Bisbal d’Empordà area towards the protected Les Gavarres massif on Friday.
The fire began on Friday morning near the GI-660 road in Baix Empordà and quickly became one of the most serious wildfire incidents of the summer so far in Catalonia. Bombers de la Generalitat activated their highest level of command for the incident because of its scale and the risk of several fires developing at the same time.
By late Friday afternoon and early evening, around 40,000 to 45,000 people had been affected by confinement measures in parts of the Costa Brava and Girona area, according to Spanish and Catalan media citing emergency services. Residents and visitors in affected zones were told to remain indoors, close doors and windows, and avoid unnecessary movement.
Fire spreads towards Les Gavarres
The blaze started near La Bisbal d’Empordà, in the Baix Empordà area, before spreading under difficult wind conditions. The affected area includes the Massís de les Gavarres, a protected natural space that stretches between inland Girona and the Costa Brava.
Early provisional figures from Agents Rurals put the burned area at around 750 hectares, while later local reporting from the emergency command area said the affected surface had risen to more than 1,200 hectares. The numbers were still changing on Friday evening as crews continued working in difficult conditions.
The tramuntana wind complicated the firefighting operation by pushing smoke and embers across the area and creating secondary fire spots. Firefighters were also watching the possible change in wind direction later in the day, as a shift towards sea breeze conditions could affect the right flank of the fire.
Confinement orders and travel warnings
The confinement orders affected several areas around La Bisbal d’Empordà, Calonge, Castell d’Aro, Platja d’Aro, s’Agaró, Cruïlles, Forallac, Llagostera and Santa Cristina d’Aro, according to Catalan emergency updates and local reporting. Protecció Civil also asked people to postpone travel from the Barcelona metropolitan area towards the Baix Empordà, Gironès and Pla de l’Estany areas while the fires remained active.
The warning is especially relevant at the start of a summer weekend, when many people travel from Barcelona and inland Catalonia to the Costa Brava. Authorities asked people not to enter the affected area so emergency vehicles could move freely and residents already under instruction could follow the confinement orders safely.
A group of around 150 children at the Pou del Glaç holiday camp near La Bisbal d’Empordà were also confined earlier in the day as a safety measure. Emergency services considered them safer inside the building than being moved while the fire and smoke conditions remained unstable.
Roads closed and UME support requested
Several roads in the area were closed because of the fire, smoke and emergency operations. The GI-660, between La Bisbal d’Empordà and Calonge, was among the routes affected, while later reports also listed additional road closures across parts of Girona province.
Catalonia’s president, Salvador Illa, said the regional government had requested support from Spain’s Unidad Militar de Emergencias, the UME, as crews worked to contain the main fire and prevent other active fires in the Girona area from growing.
The operation involved a large deployment of firefighters, ground crews, aircraft and helicopters. Bombers de la Generalitat said the priority was to prevent the fire from opening new flanks and to avoid a situation in which several major fires would have to be fought at the same time.
Possible cause under investigation
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Spanish and Catalan reports said Agents Rurals were working with the hypothesis that the fire may have been linked to mechanical work near a road, involving the use of a radial saw or similar tool, at a time of high fire risk.
Catalan media later reported that a person had been detained in connection with the suspected origin of the fire. That detail should be treated as part of the developing investigation until confirmed in full by the authorities.
Fire risk remains high across Spain
The Costa Brava fire comes as Spain heads into another period of persistent heat and very high fire danger. AEMET has warned of very high temperatures across mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands from this weekend, with fire danger expected to rise generally to very high levels in many areas.
For residents and visitors in the affected part of Girona, the immediate advice is to follow official instructions from Protecció Civil, Bombers, local councils and police. People under confinement orders should stay indoors, close doors and windows, keep pets inside, and avoid going outside to take photos or observe the fire.
Anyone planning to travel to the Costa Brava this weekend should check the latest official traffic and emergency updates before setting off. Conditions can change quickly, and roads may close at short notice to allow emergency vehicles through or protect the public from smoke and fire movement.
This is a developing incident, and official instructions may change during the evening and overnight.