The total solar eclipse this Wednesday, August 12 will transform Aras de los Olmos for a few hours. The small municipality in the interior of Valencia, with around 400 inhabitants, is preparing for an influx that could reach 10,000 people, 25 times its usual population.
The locality is one of the official observation points enabled by the Generalitat Valenciana to follow the phenomenon. The main area has a capacity for about 5,000 people, although the device has been prepared for the possibility that the number of visitors is much higher.
From the United States and Japan to a town of 400 inhabitants
The City Council began to perceive the dimension that the eclipse could reach months ago. The choice of Aras de los Olmos is not solely due to its position regarding the trajectory of the eclipse.
Astronomy has been part of the municipality's identity for years, which has several observatories and particularly favorable conditions for studying the sky.
Two areas to observe the eclipse
The device includes two differentiated spaces to contemplate the eclipse. The main area has a capacity for approximately 5,000 people and is intended for the general public.
A second space, located in La Mola, can accommodate up to 1,000 people and is reserved for experts in astronomy, astrophysics, and astrophotography. The separation aims to facilitate professionals in installing and using their equipment with greater ease.
The general area opens from 10:00 AM, while access to the space designated for professionals begins at 12:00 PM due to the characteristics of its location and because it is reached by a narrow path.
Guardia Civil, DGT, Red Cross, and volunteers in the face of massive arrival
Managing such an increase in population poses a challenge for a municipality of this size, especially because Aras de los Olmos does not have a Local Police.
The City Council has had to prepare the operation with the help of different administrations and organizations. It has coordinated with the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT), the Guardia Civil, and the Red Cross, in addition to relying on local volunteers.
The decision to become an official observation point also responded to a practical issue. The City Council considered that visitors would come anyway and that integrating into the Generalitat's device would allow for better management of the massive arrival of people.
The risk of fires forces to intensify vigilance
The arrival of thousands of visitors occurs, moreover, after a fire recently recorded in the municipal area, caused by a lightning strike during a storm and which has already been extinguished.
The forest risk was contemplated within the planning of the eclipse, but the episode has increased the caution of those responsible for the operation.
The challenge will end after a few minutes of darkness. During this day, however, a municipality of about 400 inhabitants will have to operate as if it had up to 10,000, after its conditions for observing the sky have turned Aras de los Olmos into one of the chosen destinations to contemplate the total solar eclipse.