One of the most significant wildfires suffered by Catalonia this summer was the one that affected the Les Gavarres Massif at the beginning of July, burning more than 2,000 hectares of vegetation in this protected area. The Penya Blaugrana de Monells (Federació Empordà i Catalunya Nord), located very close to the affected area, reacted quickly with the aim of contributing to the repair and reconstruction of the landscape. The result was “Liada per les Gavarres” (“A mess for the Gavarres”), the largest initiative ever organised by the penya, which brought together thousands of people on 11 September for a full day of activities.
A resounding success for all the activities
The day began at 8:30 a.m. in Sant Pol, with a popular walk of around 6 km through the burned area of the Les Gavarres Massif. More than 1,000 people took part, exceeding all participation forecasts, and enjoyed a festive atmosphere and some surprises along the route, such as the presence of La Bisbal’s traditional animal figures and a musical performance by Miquel Abras.
The activity then moved to the La Bisbal d’Empordà Main Street, where a musical vermouth and an electronic rice meal were held at the TretzeQuinze venue. In the afternoon, there was an exhibition by the emergency services that took part in extinguishing the fire: Firefighters, Forestry Agents, ADF and Civil Protection. In addition to offering information and advice, many children’s workshops were organised to bring their work closer to younger audiences. Once again, attendance was extraordinarily successful.
After a brass band parade from the Main Street to the La Bisbal Municipal Sports Pavilion, this venue hosted the closing celebration of PB Monells’ “Liada per les Gavarres”. There, more than 2,000 people enjoyed several concerts by local artists such as Mazoni, Cloe Riembau and the aforementioned Miquel Abras, among others. In addition, the organisation paid tribute to the groups that took part in extinguishing the Les Gavarres wildfire and presented them with a gift as a sign of gratitude.
Charitable contributions for ADF Les Gavarres
PB Monells, led by its president Benet Cuyàs, celebrated the resounding success of the “Liada per les Gavarres” initiative, which involved around 40 collaborating organisations and nearly one hundred local businesses that made contributions. The proceeds will go entirely to ADF Les Gavarres, a group of volunteers that works throughout the year, side by side with farmers and the firefighters, on fire prevention and the protection of the massif.
Until the end of September, the collection of contributions remains open to anyone who wishes to contribute by making a transfer to the bank account created for the occasion: Federació Agrupacions Defensa Forestal Les Gavarres – ES89 2100 9046 9802 0022 2166.
