One year since the Paüls fire in Xerta: changed landscape and aid that does not arrive

One year since the fire that burned 30% of Xerta and the mayors demand forest cleaning and direct aid that is still missing.

Paisatge cremat i despoblat després de l'any del foc de Paüls a Xerta amb esperances d'ajudes pendents — Imagen de la Fuente — Burnt and depopulated landscape after the year of fire from Paüls to Xerta with hopes of pending aid — Image from La Fuente

Júlia Gual

Updated: 06/07/26 | 12:55

The Paüls fire devastated 30% of the Xerta municipal area, and recovery is still a mirage today. The mayor emphasizes that the landscape has changed radically and that the promise of direct aid and forest cleaning has not been fulfilled.

The frustration of the Baix Ebre mayors is palpable after a year of a fire that affected five municipalities and has left visible and invisible scars in the region.

The pain and reality after the fire

How has Xerta changed after the fire?

The fire burned 30% of Xerta’s area, leaving unrecognizable landscapes. Mayor Roger Aviñó acknowledges that a deep mourning had to take place for the loss. The burned trees and devastated areas still mark the municipality, and the feeling of abandonment is clear.

What impact has it had on the local community?

The local community experiences a double mourning: environmental loss and economic uncertainty. The farmers, directly affected, do not understand the administrative criteria for receiving aid, and the mayor of Aldover expresses it firmly: “Farmers do not understand wages or criteria made in an office.”

Pending aid and compensations

What aid has actually arrived?

So far, only the compensations for the declaration of a catastrophic zone have been received, and only for the most affected municipalities such as Xerta. Aldover, with less burned area, has not received even these compensations, leaving many neighbors in limbo.

Why doesn’t the aid reach everyone?

Administrative and bureaucratic criteria hinder access to aid. The burned surface limit excludes many affected people, especially farmers who depend on the land but do not fit the official parameters.

The mayors’ urgent demand to the Government

What are the mayors asking for?

They demand from the Government an urgent cleaning of the affected forests to prevent new fires and direct aid to reactivate the local economy and help the neighbors. The feeling is that they have been forgotten after the fire.

How does this situation affect the residents of Baix Ebre?

The lack of aid and support leaves residents in a precarious situation. Environmental and economic recovery is delayed, generating frustration and discouragement in a region that still carries the consequences of the fire.