Trains halted and roads severed due to fiery obstacles in Galicia
As August 2022 unfolds, wildfires in the region of Galicia, Spain, have resulted in significant disruptions to transportation, with multiple road closures and rail suspensions.
The most notable impact is the suspension of the train service between Madrid and Galicia, including the closure of a section of the A-52 highway (autovía) and several kilometers of the AG-53 road due to nearby fires [2][3]. In total, multiple roads have been closed as a precautionary measure, including eight national roads in the affected areas, which impact Galicia and neighboring regions [1][4].
Dozens of villages have been evacuated, and roads in these areas are closed to facilitate firefighting and ensure safety [2]. The AG-53 motorway that connects Santiago de Compostela with Ourense was closed to traffic in both directions at kilometer 59 due to the fires. The N-525 road, passing through Dozón (Pontevedra), was also closed due to the fires.
Renfe, the Spanish rail operator, prepared an alternative plan by road between the station of A Gúdina and Ourense for the trains that were in circulation on this route. The AVE train between Madrid Chamartín (11:57) and Vigo Urzaiz (15:26) had to retreat to the station of A Gúdina due to the fire in Taboadela.
In a preventive measure, around fifty elderly people were evacuated from a nursing home in San Martiño de A Mezquita (Ourense) due to a fire in Esculqueira. The fires have also affected trains traveling between Santiago de Compostela and Ourense, and the suspension of rail traffic has included high-speed trains between Galicia and Madrid.
The wave of fires in August is primarily putting the province of Ourense at risk. The firefighters requested Adif to cut high tension in that stretch due to the danger posed by several fires in the area. The intention was to return the 56 residents to the nursing home at the close of the edition, but this depended on the evolution of the fire.
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- The disruptions in transportation due to wildfires in Galicia, Spain, have led the Spanish rail operator, Renfe, to consider alternative plans, such as chartering buses, to ensure passengers can continue their journeys by road.
- The suspension of rail traffic, including high-speed trains between Galicia and Madrid, coupled with multiple road closures, poses challenges not only for the transportation industry but also for the environmental-science community, as climate-change discussions often revolve around industrial emissions and fuel consumption in transportation.
- As such, the financial implications of these transportation disruptions, particularly for the local tourism industry in Galicia and neighboring regions, may impact the local economy and its recovery from the ongoing climate-change effects.
