Un verano contra el fuego en una base de León helitransportada inútil: “Tardamos hora y media en llegar en coche y volando serían 15 minutos”
Los bomberos que operan en las instalaciones de Oterico logran con media campaña transcurrida y varios “parches” usar un helipuerto
In a summer marked by relentless fires, a helipad installed at the León base of El Oterico proved to be a futile endeavor, as reported on August 1st. The costly construction, announced in 2022 and highlighted as nearly complete by the end of 2023, never saw use for aerial operations due to safety and operational deficiencies. Despite its intended purpose for aerial firefighting, the helipad's unfinished state and asphalt surface rendered it unusable by August 1st, "a terrible mistake," according to officials.
Upon its recent reopening, the facility faced significant operational challenges, including lack of phone services and non-functional showers, rendering it unable to fulfill its critical role in controlling central León mountain fires. A firefighter succinctly captured the frustration: "By car and by air, it would still take us 15 minutes to reach the scene." This incident underscores the ongoing struggle with fires in the region, particularly those that have been dangerously close to the Oterico site.
Written by urgent.news from El Pais's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
