A forest fire declared this Tuesday in the Murcian districts of Los Garres y Lages has forced regional authorities to activate level 2 of the Infomur Plan and to request the intervention of the Military Emergencies Unit (UME), in addition to reinforcing aerial resources from other autonomous communities.
The fire, which started on the slope of a mountainous area in the municipality of Murcia, has caused the mobilization of a large extinction device and the preventive evacuation of several nearby homes.
Deployment of ground and air resources
According to the Emergency Coordination Center, the fire has generated more than 200 calls to 112, which has accelerated the activation of the emergency operation.
On-site, personnel from the regional plan, forest brigades, and local emergency services are working, along with two helicopters from the Directorate General of Citizen Security and Emergencies, a surveillance helicopter, specialized forest units, and environmental agents.
Resources from the Ministry for Ecological Transition have also joined this operation, including coordination aircraft, extinction planes, and seaplanes, which are already operating or en route to the area.
Civil Protection teams, municipal firefighters, the Guardia Civil, and local police are also participating.
Preventive evacuations and traffic diversions
Local authorities have begun the evacuation of homes near the fire perimeter as a preventive measure due to the fire's progression.
Likewise, traffic diversions have been established on several access roads to the affected area, especially in areas near Cresta del Gallo, to facilitate the work of the extinction teams.
The fire occurs in a context of high temperatures in the Vega del Segura, which is under a yellow alert from the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) between 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM.
These conditions, combined with the terrain and vegetation of the area, are hindering efforts to control the fire.
Authorities are keeping the emergency operation active and do not rule out further evacuations or the incorporation of more resources depending on the fire's evolution.
The priority objective at this time is to perimeter the fire and prevent its advance towards inhabited areas.