How will the "catastrophic area" affected by the fire in the Vall d'Ebo benefit?

The fire that started in the Vall d'Ebo two weeks ago today has caused more than 12.000 hectares of natural heritage destroyed in the forest area of ​​the Marina Alta. It has not yet been declared extinct, however, to the losses in the environment are added those material damages that the residents of the affected municipalities have suffered.

Trees burned by the fire in the Vall d'Ebo

In order to mitigate all the destruction as soon as possible, the Government declared last Tuesday as a "catastrophic zone" all those territories affected by the fires that have followed each other from June to August of this year.

To shed a little more light on this term, below we will clarify some questions about this government declaration: what it means and when it is declared, what this declaration implies and, above all, how much money will be invested in aid for the people affected within of these areas.

What is a "disaster area"?

Law 17/2015, of July 9, on the National Civil Protection System understands civil protection as "the public service that protects people and property, guaranteeing an adequate response to the different types of emergencies and natural disasters" or as a result of human action.

In the recovery phase of the Protection System are the specific actions of the public administration in this type of event with the aim of restore "normality in the affected area". Something to be given after the immediate response.

Vehicle consumed by the flames of the fire in les Valls

Article 23 of the law contemplates "the procedure for declaring an area seriously affected by a civil protection emergency", commonly called a "catastrophic area". This declaration is made by agreement of the Council of Ministers and proposed by the Ministers of Finance and Public Administrations and the Interior.

To declare a catastrophic area, it is assessed "that personal or material damage has occurred derived from an accident that seriously disturbs the living conditions of the population" or that essential public services have been paralyzed.

Measures that apply

Once the area seriously affected by a civil protection emergency has been declared, some of these can be adopted measures, among other:

• “Economic aid to individuals for Damage to habitual residence and basic necessities».
• «Aid to natural or legal persons who have carried out the personal benefit or goods».
• "Aid for industrial, commercial and service establishments».
• "Subsidies for damage to municipal infrastructure, provincial and insular road network".
• "Help for damage to agricultural, livestock, forestry and marine aquaculture production».
• «Opening of preferential loan lines subsidized by the Official Credit Institute».

Terrace affected by the fire of the fire in the Valls de la Marina

However, these aids they do not have “in any case, compensatory character”, but the Government is responsible for repairing material damage and granting subsidies. In the same way, other fiscal, labor or Social Security measures are applied.

You can consult all the specific measures in article 24 of Law 17/2015 in the following link.

direct aid

The summary referred to Council of Ministers held this week where the catastrophic area was declared specifically points to a series of direct aid with a maximum amount specified that corresponds to execute the Ministry of the Interior:

• «Aid for death or absolute and permanent disability, worth 18.000 euros».
• "Help for total destruction of habitual residence up to a maximum amount of 15.120 euros.
• "Help for damage to the structure of the habitual residence, up to 50 percent of its technical valuation and with a limit of 10.320 euros».
• «Aid for damages that do not affect the structure of the habitual residence, up to 50 percent of its technical valuation and with a limit of 5.160 euros».
• "Help for destruction or damage to household goods of first necessity of the habitual residence, for its replacement or repair, with a limit of 2.580 euros».
Residents of Pego watching the spread of the fire in the Verdales area
• "Aid for damage to common elements of general use of a community of owners under the horizontal property regime, up to 50 percent of the technical valuation carried out by the Insurance Compensation Consortium and with a limit of 9.224 euros».
• «Aid to natural or legal persons who have made personal and property benefits: the total amount of the expenses».
• "Aid to owners of industrial, commercial and service establishments, including agricultural, maritime-fishing and tourist establishments: up to 9.224 euros".
• "The agreement also provides for the possibility of approving an exemption from the fees of the Central Traffic Headquarters Autonomous Body for duplicates of circulation or driving licenses, as well as cancellations of damaged vehicles."

Regarding the tax benefits, the summary points out that "the Ministry of Finance and Public Function will specify the exemption in the quota of the Tax on Real Estate and the reduction in the quota of the Tax on Economic Activities that correspond to the recipients of these aids, which As usual, aid for personal injuries will be exempt from Personal Income Tax.