The forest fire declared last Thursday in Segorbe (Castellón) has already burned 633 hectares of forest mass, part of it in the Sierra Calderona, and maintains the evacuation of around one thousand residents of Gátova, in the province of Valencia.
The Minister of Emergencies, Juan Carlos Valderrama, has informed about the situation after the last meeting of the Integrated Operational Coordination Center (Cecopi), in which the evolution of the fire and the deployed device have been analyzed.
At this moment, 25 aerial resources are participating in the extinction efforts, 14 of them belonging to the regional government, along with about 350 personnel from different bodies and organizations.
Reinforcement of the extinction device
The operation includes personnel from the Military Emergency Unit (UME), forest and provincial firefighters, security forces and bodies, and Red Cross personnel, among other services.
During the early morning, the main efforts have focused on protecting the urban center of Gátova and containing the advance of the fire to prevent the flames from crossing the CV-25, the main access road to the municipality.
The road has become one of the priority points for the emergency teams, due to its importance in ensuring access and the safety of the population.
Evacuated residents and attended in different points
The preventive evacuation of Gátova affects approximately 1,000 people, who have been transferred to different resources set up by the authorities.
A total of 37 residents, 20 men and 17 women, remain sheltered in the sports center of Bétera, along with 10 pets. The Red Cross has deployed personnel and resources in these facilities aimed at providing accommodation and care to those affected.
In addition, nine people have been transferred to a residence in Carlet. This includes five dependent individuals and four companions.
The flames affect the Sierra Calderona
The fire originated during the afternoon of Thursday in the municipality of Segorbe, in Castellón, and has spread over an area of 633 hectares of forest mass.
Part of the affected area corresponds to the Sierra Calderona, a natural space that extends between the provinces of Valencia and Castellón.
The device continues to work to contain the fire and prevent it from advancing towards inhabited areas, with special attention to Gátova, while maintaining the deployment of ground and aerial resources.