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The Comisión Nacional de Protección Civil presented a preliminary summary of emergencies handled during the Plan Vacación 2026, highlighting statistics recorded from august 1st to 5th, a period in which incidents related to fires, rescues, and traffic accidents were reported.
During the presentation of the report, held at Puerta del Diablo Natural Park in Los Planes de Renderos, Panchimalco, San Salvador Sur, authorities detailed the actions carried out by the institutions that make up the Sistema Nacional de Protección Civil to provide timely assistance to the public during the August Festivities.
Regarding road safety, the Director of Protección Civil, Luis Alonso Amaya, reported that during the first five days of august 2026, there was a decrease in traffic accidents compared to the same period of the previous year.
“Regarding traffic accidents, from august 1st to 5th, 2016, we recorded a total of 259 traffic accidents, compared to 315 reported during the same period last year. We also recorded 231 people injured in traffic accidents and four fewer deaths than the previous year; to date, there have been 14 fatalities. We have also arrested 48 people for reckless driving”, said the Director of Protección Civil, Luis Alonso Amaya.
The official reiterated the call for drivers to maintain preventative measures during the final days of the holiday period, respecting speed limits and traffic laws to avoid further incidents.
“Before concluding, I would like to reiterate the recommendations: drive at a safe speed, respect traffic laws, and never leave children unattended”, Amaya said.
During the report, the director of the El Salvador Fire Department, Baltazar Solano, also presented statistics on fires recorded between august 1 and 5, 2026.
According to the report, 34 fires were recorded, a figure higher than the 20 recorded during the same period in 2025, representing a 70% increase. Brush fires increased from four to 13, mainly due to the dry conditions caused by the midsummer drought.
Likewise, structural fires rose from nine to 13, vehicle fires increased from five to seven, while fires in garbage dumps decreased from two to one. Authorities reported that no forest fires were recorded during this period.
Furthermore, Civil Protection reported responding to emergencies at various tourist destinations throughout the country, highlighting the 44 rescues carried out, 37 of which were deep water rescues.
Among the significant incidents was the maritime accident that occurred on august 2nd at the El Bajón river mouth in Puerto El Triunfo, Usulután, where a boat capsized due to strong waves. The rescue operation resulted in the rescue of three people; however, one person was initially reported missing and was later found deceased.
Authorities indicated that the Plan Vacación 2026, has deployed more than 100,000 personnel to beaches, highways, recreational parks, and other high-traffic areas to ensure a rapid response to any emergency during the August festivities.
