The Spanish government will approve today an urgent package of labor protection measures for workers affected by this summer’s wildfires in the country. The initiative will take effect immediately and will be extended permanently to cover future natural disasters.
Although exact figures are not yet known, the Ministry of Labor has announced that these measures will include new financial assistance for workers who are unable to return to work, a doubling of paid leave following the death of a family member (from five to ten days), and the introduction of a new type of leave for those who have been evacuated, regardless of whether their workplace has been affected or not.
Fire in La Vall d’Uixó: End of Lockdown and Declaration as a Disaster Area
La Vall d’Uixó and the areas surrounding the Sierra de Espadán have borne the brunt of the fires across the entire Valencian Community: more than 8,500 hectares destroyed, 16,000 people evacuated, and more than 70,000 residents confined to their homes.
The current situation has allowed the Valencian Regional Government to lift the evacuation order for the neighborhoods of Toledo, Carbonaire, Sant Antoni, and Sant Josep de la Vall d’Uixó, enabling more than 6,000 people to return to their homes. The fire remains active, but the outlook is more positive, albeit with caution.
The government is expected to declare the Sierra de Espadán fire a disaster area, which will substantially increase the amount of aid and subsidies available to residents and businesses. Among the various assistance measures are subsidies of up to 15,000 euros for damage to homes, tax exemptions and reductions, and funding for roads and infrastructure for the affected municipalities.
