A Spark from a Harvester, Main Hypothesis of the Major Fire in Lleida

The first major fire of the summer in Spain has claimed the lives of two individuals, both field workers, in Lleida. The two deceased were trapped by the ferocity of the flames. According to the mayor of Guissona, Jaume Ars, the owner of an agricultural estate went to rescue a worker who had become trapped by the fire and had called for help.

They attempted to evade the fire, but the intensity of the blaze turned into a deadly trap. They tried to escape in a vehicle, got trapped, continued on foot, and eventually sought refuge under some rocks. The victims were two men, aged 50 and 30. They died in the municipality of Coscó and were residents of Renan, in Lleida.

The fire that affected the Lleida regions of Noguera, Segarra, and Urgell has consumed 6,500 hectares in record time. Initial hypotheses suggest that a spark from a harvester might have ignited the fire, according to the investigation by the rural agents of the Generalitat. The farmer himself raised the alarm around 2 p.m. The fire cloud reached 14 kilometers in height, and the fire spread at a speed close to 30 kilometers per hour, nearing the European record, as reported by the Generalitat firefighters, who have declared the fire stabilized.

The President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, has suspended his entire agenda and has visited the site of the disaster. He has urged the public to exercise caution. "Fires are not like they used to be," he stated. This fire has been classified as sixth-generation due to its destructive capacity and intensity.

"Today will be a day of great risk, of great risk," Illa warned. The Catalan head of government reported that two firefighters were slightly injured during the extinguishing efforts. "The work cannot be considered done," the president affirmed, despite the fire being in a stable phase. Approximately 20,000 people had to be confined yesterday in these areas of Lleida due to the smoke risk caused by the fire.