The central government has prepared a large special security deployment with 2,500 personnel from the National Police and Civil Guard to handle the total solar eclipse on August 12th in the Valencian Community, particularly in the provinces of Castellón and Valencia, where it will be visible in its entirety. Government delegate, Pilar Bernabé, warned of "severe and prolonged congestion" and urged citizens to "plan their travel in advance and avoid unnecessary journeys, especially during the sudden darkness".
The objective is for the astronomical event, the first total solar eclipse in the Iberian Peninsula in 114 years, to proceed with "normality, without incidents, and with all safety guarantees." The Minister of Emergencies, Juan Carlos Valderrama, called for avoiding 'streaming' with mobile phones to prevent telecommunication overload in case of emergencies. The tourism occupancy rate is currently at 90%.
The operation will include over 1,200 National Police officers and over 1,200 Civil Guard officers, who will deploy the Maritime Service, Citizen Security Patrols, SEPRONA, and Traffic Civil Guard. Furthermore, the maximum risk of fires in summer has been recalled, with access completely restricted to the natural parks of Valencia and Castellón, as well as those of Mariola, Font Roja, and Pego-Oliva in Alicante.
Valderrama reported that prior coordination meetings will be held and urged prudence, the use of certified ISO 12312-2:2015 glasses with authentic CE marking for observing the eclipse, careful travel planning, ensuring provisions and water, and following the authorities' recommendations. Natural parks have also been closed to guarantee resource mobilization in case of fires.
A large influx of visitors is expected, with 80,000 places planned at official observation points. The government has launched the website www.trioeclipses.es and the portal www.eclipses.ign.es to provide useful information. Nine municipalities in Valencia and Castellón are official observation points.
