The wave of fires suffered by Spain It is causing a considerable impact on burned areas: fatalities, cattle and devastated forests … In these cases, safety and health is the primary, but economic activities also begin to be affected. In this context, we wanted to know firsthand how the digital sector is living this tragedy and how online channels can become, as happened after Danain a way to channel advice, support and solidarity.
Uncertainty
In León, one of the most affected areas for days, business activity still moves in a climate of uncertainty while forest fires continue to affect the province. Nacho VaqueroMarketing responsible for the human resources consultant Tierrine connectionhe explains that the situation is still “chaotic” and that some companies have been forced to stop their activity, especially those located in areas close to the lights of fire. “It's all a little chaotic yet, León is as settling and seeing how companies can contribute and operate. At the moment there is a lot of information and much pending organizing, ”he tells us.
That uncertainty, evidently, is affecting the daily operation: “I have a person from the team who warned me that I could not leave his town to come to work. And the vacancies or new projects are in pausebecause people obviously think of other things. ”
Although his company, located in León Ciudad, has not suffered direct effects, acknowledges that the effects are visible: “In Guardo (Palencia) and in very affected areas there have been companies that have had to close completely and confinement. The same in outdoor activities, such as those of the Pantano de Riaño, which is also where water and helicopters take water to put out the fires ”.
In the capital, the smoke is also felt: “The first days there was a rare air, as with fog, and now there are already people who go with masks. Even in cars and in the terraces you can see the ash that arrives from the nearby villages.”
Stable operational, irrespirable environment
From one of the main companies of Ecommerce de León, Víctor Juárez, CEO of Creators CO. (Craftelier, Hartem) details that, at the logistics level, the company continues to function normally: “At the Ecommerce level we are working 100%. There was a closure of a couple of hours of the A-6 one of the first days, but currently All the main roads are operational. Only the cast in the directly affected areas is cut. ”
The problem, it emphasizes, is in the air and in what the population suffers: “You cannot breathe in León, half of the province is on health alert as in the time of the Covid. The houses have been filled us with dust, at times the sky is covered with a gray mantle and seems at night in the middle of the afternoon.”
Beyond the business, Juarez affects what he supposes for a deeply rural province: “Drama is lived by teams. León is a land where half of the population lives in the rural environment; We all have friends, family or acquaintances affected. And it hurts to see the destruction of our natural spaces: the peaks of Europe, Las Médulas, Los Ancares, Riaño, even the Camino de Santiago cut in León … is dramatic. ”
Abandonment
Another of the constants that we have seen in recent days is the feeling of abandonment suffered by the inhabitants of some areas less populated in the affected areas. From the Palencia company Roamsits editor head of telephony, Andrea Benitofrom Salinas de Pisuerga (Palencia), he explains that the local population complains about media silence, because while in Zamora and the medulla the fires were news, “this happened a bit unnoticed,” he adds.
Andrea also describes the sensation of vulnerability among the neighbors: “Who we are from here see how the mountains are, the lack of maintenance and cleaning. There have been extreme conditions of heat, low humidity and winds that complicate the intervention of firefighters a lot.” Despite the risk, local collaboration has been important. Farmers and neighbors helped the extinction teams, although the need for prudence is emphasized: “Although the help is appreciated, face fires of this magnitude is very dangerous. There should be an extinction device prepared for these situations.”
The role of digital channels
The information has circulated, in large part, by local media and digital channels. Andrea mentions media as Diario Palentino, Palencia on the Network, Norte de Castilla, Cadena Ser Local and Radio Aguilaras well as profiles in Instagram of known people from the area and forest firefighters. “It has also been very important to communicate with representatives of local administrations, such as the City of Cervera, which has kept us informed,” he says.
As for connectivity problems, some recent fires, such as the Queen's Portilla, have caused difficulties in the connection to the network, although Andrea says that in her case she has not been directly affected.
Social networks as a support route
Apart from the direct impact on the marketing and ecommerce sector, the digital world is playing a central role in the channeling of citizen information and support, as already happened in the DANA of Valencia less than a year ago. According to Vaquero, social networks have become a key space:
“We publish a post of support to León and it has become our most viral publication. Beyond that, the important thing is that it has served as Meeting point: People share information, organize and find out how to help. Right now I would say that social networks are the biggest information point we have in León. ”
In the midst of the crisis, the reaction of the citizens also highlights: “There has been a lot of union of the Leon people. Even the demonstration that is today in the center of León at 8 has been completely disseminated by social networks.”
To this wave of digital mobilization the accounts are also added Lesecome and Cazurreowhich shared a message with several thousand interactions in just one day on Instagram. It denounces the lack of prevention and media for the brigades, and the profile is offered as space to channel practical help: Accommodation, transport, food or volunteer.
The post closed with a message of hope: “León is strong. León will rise again.”
As you can see, the digital companies of the affected areas resist the direct impact of the fires and maintain, to a large extent, their operation. But behind the apparent normality, a reality marked by smoke, the paralysis of many local businesses and the anguish of equipment with relatives in the affected villages is hidden.
If you have also been affected by this tragedy, you have all our support, and we offer you this corner to tell it.
Image: Depositphotos
