The flames that broke out this week in the Carraixet ravine, between Carpesa and Bonrepòs i Mirambell, have reignited the concern that has affected the municipalities crossed by the riverbed for months. The dense vegetation, and particularly the proliferation of invasive reeds, generates a dual concern among various town councils: the risk of fires during dry months and the possibility of floods when intense rainfall returns.
The fire incident, which required the deployment of ground and air resources and activated Situation 0 of the Special Plan against the Risk of Forest Fires, has refocused attention on a key ravine for the northern part of the metropolitan area of València. For months, different town councils have been demanding urgent maintenance actions.
The Gátova Town Council has been one of the most insistent voices, already warning last spring about the accumulation of invasive reeds, which had turned sections of the ravine into a veritable "reed jungle." The concern was not limited solely to floods but also to the risk of fire spreading in a forest environment near the Sierra Calderona.
Some actions have been carried out in sections such as those in Olocau and Bétera, where the Generalitat has performed cleaning and conservation work. However, the downstream municipalities, such as Alboraia, continue to demand interventions. The mayor of Alboraia, Miguel Chavarría, maintains constant contact with the Júcar Hydrographic Confederation (CHJ), the competent body, to request the necessary interventions due to the abundant vegetation.
Chavarría has also proposed the collaboration of town councils in cleaning tasks, a demand to which other mayors, such as the one from Tavernes Blanques, have joined.
The perception of risk has changed significantly since the DANA (cold drop) of October 29, 2024. The riverside municipalities have reinforced their emergency protocols and coordination, considering both intense rainfall episodes and heatwaves.
The maintenance of riverbeds also poses a jurisdictional debate. While town councils point to the CHJ, the latter recalls that fire prevention and waste management are also regional and local responsibilities. The CHJ defends technical and environmental criteria for vegetation management, questioning whether indiscriminate removal guarantees greater flood protection.
Meanwhile, the municipalities affected by the Carraixet are requesting coordinated actions. This week's fire underscores the warning repeatedly issued by some mayors: the state of the ravine causes concern both when the sky threatens rain and when the thermometer exceeds 40 degrees.
