Concern over two active fires in Castellón and Huelva

BarcelonaThe situation with the fires continues without pause. A forest fire in Tírig, Castelló, with about 700 hectares affected, is mobilizing dozens of personnel after a day with simultaneous fires in the area, most of them caused by lightning. Another fire in Niebla, Huelva, which already affects 8,000 hectares and has left a balance of about 400 people evacuated, is also of particular concern. The fire causes a column of smoke visible from various points in the provinces of Huelva and Seville.

After 70 people were evacuated during the first hours of the fire, this Saturday afternoon the Junta de Andalucía sent a new ES-Alert message for the evacuation of about 340 people from various surrounding towns. Also this afternoon, the resources of the Military Emergency Unit (UME) have been expanded to fight this forest fire, reaching 250 personnel and 100 vehicles. The terrain is complicated and the wind, for the moment, is not ceasing either. The Junta de Andalucía has reported that three firefighters had to be attended to and two of them were hospitalized. Both have already been discharged from the hospital. Fortunately, the night has been more favorable and, although the situation is complicated, the Huelva fire does not threaten urban areas. There are still, however, 467 people evacuated.

The wind is not an ally in the Castelló fire either. This Friday, an electrical storm was recorded in the area, with more than 100 lightning strikes, which caused four fires. So far, all have been stabilized and controlled except for the one in Tírig, where most of the firefighters' efforts are concentrated. During the afternoon, confinements have been lifted and some evacuations of houses scattered by the other fires, but the Tírig front is worrying, which is why an ES-Alert was sent this evening asking for the confinement of the town of Catí, where about 700 people live. This Sunday at noon, the situation in Catí has become even more complicated and an ES-Alert has been sent ordering evacuation. Nevertheless, the night has not been entirely bad. In the morning, firefighters explained that humidity has been an ally and they are trying to stabilize the fire as soon as possible.

Sánchez shows concern

The President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, stated that they are following "with concern the evolution of the fires in Huelva and Castellón". "All my support to the neighbors who have had to be evacuated from their homes", he added. Both the situation in Huelva and Castellón have required activating situation 2 of the Special Plan for Forest Fires, which requires the mobilization of extraordinary resources.

In Spain, the fires do not give respite, as this Saturday a new fire broke out in Segovia which has already forced the evacuation of two towns. In this case, the fire started due to a car burning on the road.

Just two weeks ago, a serious fire was registered in Castellón in La Vall d’Uixó, which affected almost 10,000 hectares and forced the evacuation of about 16,000 people. Now, this fire is occurring about 70 kilometers further north.