Canillo Consul Suspends Buggy Event in High-Risk Avalanche Zone

Jordi Alcobé, Canillo's senior consul, issued a decree on 7 February to suspend a buggy vehicle gathering on private land in Coma de Ransol, located directly below the unsecured Castellar avalanche zone classified as R1—the country's highest risk level.

The event, promoted on social media for the evenings of the prior Saturday and Sunday, involved competition-style buggies and fewer than 100 participants, exempting it from permit requirements. Alerts from Civil Protection and the Emergency Coordination Centre prompted Alcobé's intervention under his legal authority, as the avalanche had released about a week earlier but remained unstable due to subsequent snowfalls.

Alcobé acted preventively after confirming outsiders beyond the landowners' family were present in the high-risk area. Organisers and property owners complied immediately upon contact, halting the activity without requiring police or traffic agents. "The objective was to stop the event and prevent any harm, and that's what we achieved," Alcobé stated during Wednesday's Canillo communal council session, reported outside the formal agenda.

He emphasised that the focus was mitigating natural risks, not penalising the lack of authorisation. Legal experts are now assessing whether the decree warrants fines or further action for the organisers. Alcobé noted that forced measures were available if needed but unnecessary here.

The consul views the incident as a reminder of mountain hazards, especially amid abundant snow this season. He highlighted 10 avalanche deaths across the Pyrenees this winter, urging greater awareness, communication, and prevention for snow-related sports rather than new regulations.