kimgaspesie
Quebec, Canada
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Frances 2001 and 2022.
Portuguese June 25, 2024
Fires all around Ortega. Stay away from the Camino.
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Diario de Navarra reported 18 June that fires between Obanos and Puenta La Reina have created an emergency situation prompting evacuations in the area.
The camino in Navarre region is now closed. We've been advised to take a bus to Logrono.
May cooler weather come soon!El incendio iniciado a primeras horas de esta tarde en Legarda ha avanzado de forma virulenta a lo largo de las horas pese a los trabajos de los efectivos aéreos y terrestres y ha obligado a desalojar los cascos de varias poblaciones, de forma que ha llegado hasta las cercanías de Puente la Reina.
Así, al desalojo inicial de Legarda (117 habitantes), Obanos (935) y Muruzábal (233) de los que ha informado SOS Navarra, la Guardia Civil añade los del casco de Belascoáin (122) y el "inicio del desalojo de parte de la población" de Puente La Reina, con 2.840 habitantes.
Is this a pretty common occurrence for sections of the Camino to be closed due to fire?
Chrissy for those of us who have the luxury of choosing when we can walk, I think any time between Late May and mid October is now pretty unthinkable. At least for my heat tolerance for walking under halfway pleasant conditions. As I said in another post, I only think things are going to get worse.Yikes! Now fires and smoke are another thing for pilgrims/walkers to contend with in addition to the sweltering heat they have been enduring for the past couple of weeks. I never thought I would see the day when I'd be happy to not be walking on the Camino, but today is it.
Not common, but it does occur from time to time. I walked through fire damaged areas a few weeks after the fire a few years ago. I also watch a fire fighting helicopter in action in the distance on another.Is this a pretty common occurrence for sections of the Camino to be closed due to fire?
Is this a pretty common occurrence for sections of the Camino to be closed due to fire?
I also went through about the same time, and was very concerned about the combination of extensive eucalyptus plantations, even among the houses in the smaller towns, with considerable dead and dry material on the ground beneath them, and the strong wind off the Atlantic…I'm not sure about Spain, but in late June of 2017, Portugal had fires that took many lives. I'd been there a couple of weeks earlier is why I recall that horrific catastrophe.
There were fires on camino Francis 2019 in Sept/oct period near Samos. Scarey walking alone thru undergrowth.No, it is not. Well not on the CF anyway.
I don't know the situation in high summer on the Via de la Plata for instance.
The Norte sounds like a nice alternative. I definitely loved it! You will not be disappointed!The guardia civil stopped us just before Pamplona and said the camino was closed after Pamplona. They said we had to wait there until further notice. Now we are hoping and praying for rain! (Also thinking of taking a bus to San Sebastian and continue on Norte instead)
When I've been in that situation, in France mostly, I've tried to keep informed during approach to the area, slept if needed well outside of it, and generally upwind, considered alternative routes completely avoiding the fire area, and then if necessary taken massive detours to not just keep myself well out of it ; but also ensure that the emergency personnel need waste no time to deal with me.The Guardia Civil just stopped me and told me to turn around between Estella and Los Arcos, saying the path to Los Arcos is closed because of fire
stay safe. walk soft. Samarkand.Yikes! Now fires and smoke are another thing for pilgrims/walkers to contend with in addition to the sweltering heat they have been enduring for the past couple of weeks. I never thought I would see the day when I'd be happy to not be walking on the Camino, but today is it.
They will rue the day they planted eucalypts and not just because of the fire risk.I also went through about the same time, and was very concerned about the combination of extensive eucalyptus plantations, even among the houses in the smaller towns, with considerable dead and dry material on the ground beneath them, and the strong wind off the Atlantic…
Yes, I have often read of the controversy surrounding the bringing of Eucalyptus trees and their ensuing forests in Spain and elsewhere.They will rue the day they planted eucalypts and not just because of the fire risk.
My heart aches more for our poor planet and the local trees, animals, people and economy impacted by the fires. And the longer term post disaster trauma that comes along with these events.Yikes! Now fires and smoke are another thing for pilgrims/walkers to contend with in addition to the sweltering heat they have been enduring for the past couple of weeks. I never thought I would see the day when I'd be happy to not be walking on the Camino, but today is it.
As an Australian it was interesting to see our native trees in plantation when I walked the Portuguese in 2018. Many of the forests looked sad and were quite silent. Our local forests are full of bird calls and animal scat. It felt somehow wrong.They will rue the day they planted eucalypts and not just because of the fire risk.
The weather and fires shouldn't come as a surprise. The planet is getting hotter.Fires all around Ortega. Stay away from the Camino.
Thanks for sharing a wider perspectiveEucalyptus are pretty much a Portuguese and Galician crop. The terrible fires are in Navarre and Zamora, well away (so far) from Galicia and eucalyptus forests.
Wildfires happen a lot in dry season in Iberia, most often in Galicia, where there seems to be a preponderance of arsonists. I was hospitalera in Orense in 2004, when a huge series of wildfires burned great swathes of Galicia -- we could see the flames and smoke approaching the city, lighting up the night sky, and a troupe of spectacularly good-looking firefighters from faraway Ceuta were quartered in our pilgrim albergue. Helicopters swooped down and scooped water from the river, and the Guardia each morning came to inform pilgrims about the safety of the path ahead.
The Navarre fires, according to press reports, are being sparked by lightning strikes. The grain fields are ripe, dry as a bone. The wind is up. The streams and reservoirs are very low, or dried-up altogether. A bad combination.
Please know that firefighting in Spain is as professional as anywhere in the world, and the safety of pilgrims is paramount. Use common sense. Be flexible. This is all a part of your journey. This too shall pass.
Thank you for this Rebekah! I felt a little bad even posting. I am worried about my pilgrimage but others are worried about their property and livelihood. May God be with all involved.the fires should be under control by then, as there's only so much that can burn out there.
I haven't heard reports of direct impact on pilgrim hostels, infrastructure, etc. Firefighters are concentrating on protecting buildings, and it's harvest season -- standing grain is very dry. The crop damage will likely be significant.
Navarre certainly won't be so scenic in some parts, but it IS a pilgrimage. And pilgrims take it as it comes.
Interesting article enclosed. My camino observations are the eucalypts are not in anyway limited to Galicia. The introduction for pulp is not isolated to Spain with very similar negative experiences elsewhere including, for example, well documented in Pakistan. It took over 40,000 years to transform and adapt the Australian ecology to eucalypts with fire stick farming. Climate change aside, the ecological impacts are significant and while not the only cause of forest fires in Spain they are literally a ticking incendiary time bomb.Eucalyptus are pretty much a Portuguese and Galician crop. The terrible fires are in Navarre and Zamora, well away (so far) from Galicia and eucalyptus forests.
Wildfires happen a lot in dry season in Iberia, most often in Galicia, where there seems to be a preponderance of arsonists. I was hospitalera in Orense in 2004, when a huge series of wildfires burned great swathes of Galicia -- we could see the flames and smoke approaching the city, lighting up the night sky, and a troupe of spectacularly good-looking firefighters from faraway Ceuta were quartered in our pilgrim albergue. Helicopters swooped down and scooped water from the river, and the Guardia each morning came to inform pilgrims about the safety of the path ahead.
The Navarre fires, according to press reports, are being sparked by lightning strikes. The grain fields are ripe, dry as a bone. The wind is up. The streams and reservoirs are very low, or dried-up altogether. A bad combination.
Please know that firefighting in Spain is as professional as anywhere in the world, and the safety of pilgrims is paramount. Use common sense. Be flexible. This is all a part of your journey. This too shall pass.
Interesting article enclosed. My camino observations are the eucalypts are not in anyway limited to Galicia. The introduction for pulp is not isolated to Spain with very similar negative experiences elsewhere including, for example, well documented in Pakistan. It took over 40,000 years to transform and adapt the Australian ecology to eucalypts with fire stick farming. Climate change aside, the ecological impacts are significant and while not the only cause of forest fires in Spain they are literally a ticking incendiary time bomb.
Spanish volunteers remove eucalyptus in bid to prevent wildfires
People in northwest Spain fear that the prevalence of the highly inflammable tree species is a significant risk.www.aljazeera.com
Both Spain and Portugal had fires October 2017 - I walked past a fire on the way into Tricastella, and pilgrims were asked to delay leaving town the next morning until full light, presumably so that they did not walk into a fire situation. As it turned out,there was no immediate danger, but we did walk through some burnt areas- postings here indicated that at least one small fire was the consequence of a (pilgrim's) discarded cigarette butt (mob cam footage as proof).I'm not sure about Spain, but in late June of 2017, Portugal had fires that took many lives. I'd been there a couple of weeks earlier is why I recall that horrific catastrophe.
Seems you walked through the day before I did...In October 2017 there were a lot of fires around the CF. These 3 short clips are from the trail between Triacastela and Samos when I literally walked through a forest fire that no one knew about. There were no police or firefighters about warning not to walk on the trail as they were unable to keep up with the fires. I think by memory a lot of the fires were started by an arsonist. Apologies for the mild swearing but it was a little freaky as I was totally alone and the next pilgrim after me arrived in Samos about 4 hours after I did.
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Yes, late September 2017 year I walked CF, and leaving Ponferrada what looked like fog enveloped the distant mountains. While walking the 30 km hill from Villafranca del Bierzo to O Cebreiro, I noticed helicopters flying to the north. As I trekked, the smoke got thicker and choppers closer until I could actually see the flames 100-200 meters through the woods. Choppers were dropping suppressant. Good thing Camino was not downwind!!I'm not sure about Spain, but in late June of 2017, Portugal had fires that took many lives. I'd been there a couple of weeks earlier is why I recall that horrific catastrophe.
Yes we found ourselves caught up in hill fires in Portugal q couple years ago along with terrible heat. That was scary enough and Spain's sound even worse.Is this a pretty common occurrence for sections of the Camino to be closed due to fire?
There are appeals in the regional news and on Twitter by the Navarra Police and the Navarra Firefighters that pilgrims should stay put and stay out of the way. Here is just one of them (Policia Foral = Police of Navarra):We have just arrived in Roncesvall;es to be told at reception that the Camino is closed for the next three days in this part of Navarra due to fires. Does anyone have a website I can find with further information or knowledge of the closure?
We have just arrived in Roncesvall;es to be told at reception that the Camino is closed for the next three days in this part of Navarra due to fires. Does anyone have a website I can find with further information or knowledge of the closure?
Not common, but it does occur from time to time. I walked through fire damaged areas a few weeks after the fire a few years ago. I also watch a fire fighting helicopter in action in the distance on another.
We left Roncesvalles this morning & are in Zubiri. We are all asking about the next days, but no official news and no problems (except blisters & site muscles.We have just arrived in Roncesvall;es to be told at reception that the Camino is closed for the next three days in this part of Navarra due to fires. Does anyone have a website I can find with further information or knowledge of the closure?
Head for Camino Norte!the fire seems to be approx 5 miles south of the camino. We have fires in many places now, near Aragonés (Lumbier), and in the Sanabrés Zamora area particularly. VERY HOT DAYS!!!
We walked the Portuguese camino in September 2017 and saw the results of the fires that happened that summer. There were many forested areas that had been burned. We were able to walk through them but it was clear that the fires had been bad.I'm not sure about Spain, but in late June of 2017, Portugal had fires that took many lives. I'd been there a couple of weeks earlier is why I recall that horrific catastrophe.
My camino observations are the eucalypts are not in anyway limited to Galicia. The introduction for pulp is not isolated to Spain with very similar negative experiences elsewhere including, for example, well documented in Pakistan.
It's nice to hear rain has finally come! I never thought I'd see the day when I'd be happy to hear of rain on the Camino!Pouring in Santiago right now with a short period of light hail yesterday afternoon
In Santiago things are not warm at all, and it has been raining. But I am not sure this is the case in Navarra. I saw on the news that it is better there now, but not a lot of rain yet (as far as I could see). It is getting better there, but they would need some rain for this to be totally over.Glad to hear rain has come and thanks to those of you sharing information! My husband and I are slated to start in Saint Jean on July 6. Mostly posting this hoping I get notified of future updates.