A fire that broke out on Tuesday afternoon in the districts of Los Garres and Lages, in the municipality of Murcia, has forced the evacuation of some 50 homes due to the smoke emanating from the fire. Around 300 personnel have been deployed to the site, from forestry brigades, firefighters, Civil Protection, Murcia Local Police and Civil Guard. An operative from the UME also moved to the area, after requesting it at 6:30 p.m. from the regional president, Fernando López-Miras. The fire is now heading up the mountain, although the device is attentive to the changing evolution of the wind.
“At first, the situation was very, very, very worrying because the flames were approaching the towns,” said the president of the Region of Murcia, Fernando López-Miras, after eight in the afternoon, who announced that the device had managed to “contain” the area of the fire “closest to the homes” of the districts. “Around 50 homes had to be evacuated, mainly for prevention and due to the risk derived from smoke, not because the fire was directly affecting the homes,” he explained.
“There is no risk to the homes and the emergency personnel are focusing on the highest area, the mountain area,” added López-Miras, who highlighted the performance of his own air resources and those of other administrations in the fight against the declared fire.
Late in the afternoon, 11 aerial vehicles work in the area, including seaplanes from the community, the Ministry for the Ecological Transition (Miteco) and the Valencian Community, in addition to troops from Castilla-La Mancha. In addition to these administrations, the Region of Murcia has asked for help from Andalusia, which is currently moving troops.
The autonomous community, which has activated level 2 of the Infomur Plan in the emergency phase—for situations that “may seriously affect the population and assets of a non-forest nature, requiring the immediate adoption of protection and relief measures”—has also requested the support of the Military Emergency Unit. Units from its third intervention battalion are already moving to the damaged area from their base in Bétera (Valencia).
After threatening inhabited areas, the fire is moving away from Los Garres and heading up the mountain, towards the green areas of La Alberca, although there is no fear for the urban center of that district, the regional president has indicated. The eyes are on the wind, which has blown strongly on a day in which specific records of up to 39º have been recorded in the Murcian capital.
“We must try to advance as much as possible because, when night falls, the air resources will have to cease their activity quickly. At that time the help of the UME will be very important to continue controlling the fire during the night,” the regional president has advanced, who does not know the time at which the Army will appear to “take over” the work of the air resources.
The trigger for the fire, which started in the early afternoon, is unknown at this time. At 3:10 p.m., emergency service 112 had received more than 200 calls alerting about a tongue of fire on the side of the mountain, as reported by the Emergency Coordination Center.
The flames have spread to the lower part of the mountain, where there are large plots of abandoned citrus groves with very dry weeds that catch on very quickly and run along the section between the urban area of Los Garres and the neighborhood of San José de la Montaña along the slope of the mountain from it to the road.
Staff from the Infomur Plan and two helicopters from the General Directorate of Citizen Security and Emergencies, a surveillance and control helicopter (ACOVI), a forestry brigade from the Forest Fire Defense Unit (UDIF) together with environmental agents from the General Directorate of Natural Heritage and Climate Action have traveled to the site.
The Valencian Community has sent a helicopter and a helicopter unit from the Alicante Provincial Consortium. The Government has mobilized two seaplanes, a coordination aircraft and a helicopter with a water bag from Jaén, Requena (Valencia) and Torrejón de Ardoz (Madrid).
In addition, in the area there are also five Civil Protection teams and eight Fire Fighting and Rescue fire vehicles from the Murcia City Council, Civil Guard and Local Police.
⚠️ Attention! We extend traffic restrictions due to the fire.
🚓 Our agents are closing more accesses so that firefighters can work quickly and safely.
❌ Avoid traveling to the area and facilitate prevention. Thanks for your help!
— Murcia Local Police (@MurciaPolicia)
The Murcia City Council has urged the eviction of nearby homes, as explained by the mayor, Rebeca Pérez, on social networks. In addition, emergency situation 2 of the Infomur Plan has been activated. The Local Police have cut off traffic on the way up to Cresta del Gallo through Los Teatinos and San José, and on 0Antonio Díaz de Los Garres Street.
The Government delegate, Francisco Lucas, has expressed on the same internet social network: “Pending the evolution of the fire (…) All resources are activated and mobilized. Our recognition to the teams that are working on the extinction work. Avoid traveling to the area.”
This fire occurs when the Vega del Segura is under an orange warning due to high temperatures activated by the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet), a warning that began at 2:00 p.m. and ended at 8:00 p.m. In Murcia capital, a peak temperature of 39.9 degrees has been recorded at two in the afternoon, to which strong gusts of wind are added.
