Near-disaster in Paüls is latest incident to show Spain’s vulnerability to the effects of the climate emergency
O
n Saturday, the people of Paüls will celebrate the feast of their patron saint, Sant Roc, with a mass, followed by a communal meal eaten at stone tables, jota folk dances and a profound and lingering sense of relief.
Last month’s wildfire – which turned the night skies a hellish orange, blackened the surrounding hills and devoured 3,300 hectares (8,154 acres) of land – was a near-disaster that stirred memories of the 2009 blaze in nearby Horta de Sant Joan that killed five firefighters.
“People were afraid that everything would burn and that they’d lose everything,” says Enric Adell, the mayor of the small Catalan mountain town. “They were scared of getting trapped and not being able to get out of the village.”
