The President of the Generalitat, Juanfran Pérez Llorca, announced after the Consell's plenary session a package of urgent aid to mitigate the consequences of the severe forest fire. Of these funds, 12 million will be for direct aid to affected individuals and sectors, 5 million will be allocated to municipalities, and 50 million will be for subsidized loans.
The decree establishes that the aid will be direct and urgent. Granting will require a simple application, which can be submitted at the relevant town hall, and a sworn statement will be accepted if supporting documents have been lost. Payment will be made by direct transfer. Applications can be submitted from August 10, and interested parties will have three months to do so.
Direct aid will be divided into four axes. The first, for housing and home, includes up to 20,000 euros for the loss of a primary residence, 15,000 for homes with structural damage, 6,000 for non-structural damage, and 3,000 euros per person for belongings. For secondary residences, aid will be 10,000 euros for a destroyed dwelling, 7,500 with structural damage, and 3,000 for non-structural damage, plus 1,500 euros per person for belongings. Monthly rent assistance of 800 euros for relocation is also contemplated, with a maximum of 14 months.
The second axis is dedicated to vehicles, with 2,000 euros for the loss of a private car or utility vehicle, 2,500 for a vehicle adapted for people with disabilities, 750 for a motorcycle, and up to 15,000 euros for a vehicle linked to an economic activity. For agricultural or livestock vehicles, up to 8,000 euros will be granted.
The third axis focuses on self-employed individuals, businesses, and employment, with aid of up to 1,000 euros per affected self-employed person or retail business, a one-time payment of 360 euros per worker affected by an ERTE, and a specific guarantee line of 50 million euros from the Institut Valencià de Finances (IVF) for companies and industries.
Additionally, a line of aid will be created for municipalities and irrigation communities with material impact for urgent actions on damaged infrastructure, with an initial grant of 200,000 euros per locality. Beneficiary municipalities include La Vall d’Uixó, Betxí, Onda, La Vila Vella, Artana, Eslida, Aín, Alcudia de Veo, Tales, Alfondeguilla, Nules, and Chóvar.
Finally, aid is established for agriculture, livestock, and family gardens: 15,000 euros per livestock, poultry, or apiary holding, with additional aid per lost head of cattle. For agricultural damages, 6,000 euros per hectare for irrigated land and 4,000 for dry land. Also, 1,500 euros per holding for agricultural equipment, and for forest land, 1,000 euros per hectare with approved management and 500 euros per hectare without forestry use.
Furthermore, forest surveillance will be extraordinarily reinforced with 118 additional guards and over 35,000 overtime hours, with an investment exceeding 1.1 million euros, for situations of extreme risk. A Comprehensive Reforestation and Environmental Recovery Plan will be launched to restore the landscape and biodiversity.
“"Our duty is to restore normality to the affected municipalities, protect those who live in our territory, and work so that the Comunitat Valenciana becomes an increasingly safe place, better prepared for emergencies."
