• Environment Farmers and environmentalists blame Barbón for the fires in Asturias: "He does not light the fuse but puts the means"
  • Justice The Prosecutor's Office opens an investigation into the fires in Asturias

The president of the Principality of Asturias, the socialist Adrián Barbón, has insisted this Saturday that the forest fires that have been ravaging the region since Wednesday is something "premeditated and organized". "I want to make it very clear that the responsibility lies with those who light the fuse, in those who have acted as what they are, authentic terrorists," said Barbon, who has indicated that "he wants to see people in jail for what has happened."

Barbón has appeared at a press conference after the meeting held in La Morgal in which the mayors of the municipalities affected by the fire have participated via telematics. There it has been insisted again that the full weight of the law must fall against those who have caused this situation.

"When I talk about terrorists, I talk about criminals who must be investigated, those who must be detected, those who must be identified and those we want to make them pay with all the force imposed by the laws," said Barbón, who has stressed that although there has been luck and there has been no death, The truth is that "we have to be aware that there could be hundreds of deaths throughout these days."

As an example that we are facing premeditated and organized actions, he has given as an example the Naranco fire in Oviedo, where it was ignited in 12 points at the same time, "which was done to endanger the houses".

"Around a larger fire appeared new fires that had nothing to do with the wind and that sought to worsen the situation in many points," said Barbón who has appealed to the public so that if they have suspicions they are not afraid and collaborate to find the culprits.

On the type of damage and what is sought with these actions, Barbón has said that it is "something we do not know." "There are theories for all tastes but we must wait for concrete data from the investigations," said the Asturian president, who added that what is clear is that they are criminals who have put the lives of hundreds of people at risk.

He stressed again that the priority has been marked these days has been that of "life, houses and villages". "Save lives, save houses and save villages," he said and thanked all the media, the troops who have turned to those priorities.

Controlled fires in Asturias and Cantabria

The forest fires of Asturias are, at the moment, "controlled and stabilized", except for a fire registered in Parres and another in Belmonte de Miranda, so they are beginning to withdraw support troops that have been deployed during the last days in the community.

This was stated this Saturday by the manager of the Emergency Service of the Principality of Asturias (SEPA), Óscar Rodríguez, at a press conference in which he was accompanied by the President of the Principality, Adrián Barbón, to take stock of the wave of fires that have affected the western area with special virulence and have forced the evacuation of about 400 people.

At the moment, there are 71 "open" fires, but they are "controlled", and only two, in Aballe (Parres) and Cutiellos (Belmonte de Miranda), are not yet stabilized, although the arrival of rain will help in the works, said the manager of SEPA.

Meanwhile, in Cantabria, the services that collaborate in the extinction of forest fires have managed to extinguish the eight fires that were active in the community this Saturday, so that, at noon, there are only two controlled foci in Argüebanes (Camaleño) and Barrio (Vega de Pas).

This has been reported by the regional government, which has indicated that since 6.00 am on Saturday no forest fire has been caused, although there were four from 19.00 pm on Friday.

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  • Adrian Barbon
  • Asturias
  • Oviedo
  • Cantabria