No outdoor recreation allowed in 357 municipalities to prevent wildfires
Measure also extended to Montserrat and 10 other natural spaces until Monday
Outdoor leisure activities, such as camping, hiking, or rafting, will be prohibited in 357 municipalities across Catalonia until at least Monday at midnight in an effort to prevent wildfires.
Initially only in place in 275 towns since last Thursday, authorities have extended the restriction to other cities and towns - including Barcelona and Girona - as the heatwave continues and is set to become more severe from Friday.
This measure will also be in place in 11 natural spaces including Montserrat, home to a revered old monastery not far from Barcelona, as well as in Montgrí, Cap de Creus, l'Albera, les Gavarres, Montsec d'Ares, Montsec de Rúbies, Baronia de Rialb, Montsant, Montsec-Marmellar, and Sant Llorenç del Munt i l'Obac, which was partially affected by the Pont de Vilomara blaze earlier this week.
The municipalities where outdoor activities are not allowed are in the dark red areas on the map below, while the 11 natural spaces are in black.
Mapa Pla Alfa per avui 21 de juliol pic.twitter.com/mGgwhOSqH7
— Agents Rurals (@agentsruralscat) July 21, 2022
The restriction also limits agricultural activity, summer camps with outdoor leisure activities, or construction work that requires the use of machinery that poses a fire hazard.
Higher temperatures from Friday
Temperatures are expected to rise even further from Friday, increasing the risk of wildfires.
This heat will be more extreme in the city of Lleida, in Western Catalonia, as well as the Segrià, Urgell, and Les Garrigues counties, and will last until Monday although there will be a slight decrease on Saturday.