In Spain already more than 175 thousand hectares have burnedaffecting both natural landscapes and towns and industrial areas. In total, 80,000 people have had to leave their homes and 92,000 are confined, according to the Ministry of the Interior and Civil Protection. A situation that has caused the loss of thousands of homes and businesses due to the passage of flames.
Although these losses are irreplaceable and with every intention of help those affectedthe General Council of Notaries has decided to activate the Notarial Emergency Plan. This protocol seeks to offer a free and effective response to the problems that the population is experiencing due to catastrophes such as, in this case, the fires that are ravaging the regions of Madrid, Ávila and Castellón.
Free notarial services for those affected by the fires
According to María Cristina Clemente, a notary, it is “an emergency set that has no other purpose than to help you“. Thanks to the activation of this protocol, all victims will be able to request free notarial advicehelp to recover or locate documents lost due to the fire.
Likewise, they may request ownership accreditation certificateswhich will help to leave official evidence that a property or building belonged to the injured person, even if he or she does not have the original papers that can prove it; and “urgent minutes of protocolization of photographs of the damages suffered“, for which it will be necessary to send said photographs online so that the designated professional can give them official validity.
Those affected by the fires can request help on this website
All of this electronically through the Notarial Electronic Headquarters: www.portalnotarial.es. On this website, victims will be able to manage their procedures from any device, consult the electronic copies of their deeds authorized by the notary and request an appointment with the nearest available notary. You will simply need to register on the portal.
Once registration is completed, it will be necessary to send the photographs or data requested by each notary. “The affected Notarial Colleges will enable the notaries that are necessary in order to provide service and comply with these actions throughout the territorial scope of its autonomous community“, stated the General Council of Notaries in the statement and expressed their intention to provide the necessary technical means so that aid reaches the victims.
A measure that was already adopted during the DANA in Valencia
This action is thanks to the collaboration between the Notarial Emergency Commission of the General Council of the Notary with organizations such as the Agrarian Forum Foundation, the Spanish Red Cross or the General Council of Official Colleges of Agricultural Technical Engineers of Spain.
This tool was already activated previously, during the DANA that affected the Valencian Community or during the eruption of the La Palma volcano, being an essential tool to offer rapid and coordinated help and advice to those affected by these catastrophes. “There are no words to describe so much pain, so much devastation, so much helplessness, but there is a great desire to help.“says María Cristina Clemente.