Salvador Illa has urged people to take "extreme caution" as a wildfire burns near La Bisbal d'Empordà in Girona province, with confinement orders affecting municipalities in the area and travel warnings issued for parts of north-east Catalonia on Thursday 3 July.

The president of the Generalitat, Catalonia's regional government, said he was following the fire "with concern" and asked residents to follow instructions from emergency services, especially where people have been told to stay indoors. He also requested support from the UME, Spain's Military Emergency Unit, according to reports by La Vanguardia and El Periódico.

"I am following the evolution of the fire in La Bisbal d'Empordà with concern. I ask for extreme caution and that people pay close attention to the instructions of the emergency services, especially in the areas under confinement."

For residents, commuters and visitors, the immediate effect is clear: avoid unnecessary journeys to the affected area and check official civil protection updates before travelling. La Vanguardia reported that people were being told not to travel to the Empordà, Gironès and Pla de l'Estany comarques, or counties.

  • Confinement orders were in place in affected municipalities on Thursday.
  • Travellers were advised not to go to the Empordà, Gironès and Pla de l'Estany areas unless necessary.
  • Residents should follow updates from Protecció Civil and call 112 only in an emergency.

Wind complicates firefighting operation

The fire's development was being shaped by wind conditions on Thursday, according to Europa Press, which reported that 30 firefighting crews remained deployed.

Reports also said seven municipalities were under confinement orders as the blaze continued. Emergency restrictions can change quickly as wind shifts, so residents in Baix Empordà and nearby areas were being told to rely on official instructions rather than routine travel plans.

No all-clear had been issued as of Thursday afternoon, and the warnings from emergency services remained in force. The scale of the response, including 30 crews and the request for UME support, reflected the pressure created by the fire and the weather conditions.

Illa plans Sunday visit to Baix Empordà

The Generalitat announced that Illa is due to visit Baix Empordà on Sunday, following the wildfire emergency.

Until then, the advice for people living in or travelling near La Bisbal d'Empordà is to stay alert to Protecció Civil messages, avoid restricted zones and obey any confinement instructions issued for their municipality.

Primary sources: govern.cat. Reported by Guillem Barrera, lavanguardia.com, elperiodico.com, europapress.es, russpain.com, abc.es, Mari Latorre, Raquel Navarro, Marcos Lamelas, Maria Saguer, Europa Press Barcelona.