At 12:20 this Sunday, a forest fire started in the Serra Ferrer, between the towns of Tàrbena and Xaló, according to reports from the Fire Consortium and the Emergency Center. Two aerial vehicles and two forest firefighting units were quickly mobilized.
In just one hour, Emergencies mobilized two more aerial means, with four now fighting the fire from the air. The Emergency Coordination Center establishes the 13:45 hours, situation 1 of the Special Forest Fire Plan.
From the Firefighters Consortium they point out, to the 14:30 hours, that the forest fire "comes strong and affects the forest mass, so it progresses quickly, which is why more aerial means are needed." Two new aerial means are incorporated, and there are already six that are working to extinguish the flames. In addition, from the ground, several crews from the Cocentaina and Benidorm parks and forest firefighting units are working on the extinction work.
The fire is affecting the area of Coll de Rates and Penya Atalades. At 14:35 hours, the Emergency Coordination Center establishes situation 2 of the Special Plan for Forest Fires.
A las 16:15 hours, 11 park facilities Dénia, Benissa, Cocentaina, San Vicente and Elda are working to extinguish the fire that has started between Tárbena and Xaló and that affects the Coll de Rates area, located in the vicinity of Parcent. The activation of the UME - Military Emergency Unit - is requested. A SAMU unit is mobilized from the CICU as a precaution.
The Emergency Coordination Center also requests the incorporation of two FOCAs -High Capacity Amphibious Aircraft- from the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge.
A las 16:25 hours Some inhabited homes in the area are evacuated. The Emergency Coordination Center requests the Alicante Red Cross to install a shelter for the affected people.
A las 17:04 hours, the Civil Traffic Guard reports that access to the CV-715 highway to the fire area has been cut off. Access from Parcent to the north and from Bolulla to the south is also cut off. The CICU increases its strength to 2 SAMU and 1 SVB.
A las 18:00 hours, the report of the mobilized media are: 6 aerial media, 2 FOCA -Ministry Plane, national media-, 11 Firefighters from the Alicante Provincial Council, 13 firefighters from the Dénia, Benissa, Cocentaina, San Vicente and Elda parks, 7 forest firefighter units, 1 Fire Prevention Unit and the UME.
A las 18:55 hours Murcia is requested to incorporate a heliborne brigade.
A las 20:30 hours The mayors of the municipalities affected by the fire and those responsible for Emergencies at CECOPI meet to analyze the evolution of the fire. After the meeting, the Government delegate, Pilar Bernabé, indicated at the WFP that 126 UME personnel are working along with 2 FOCA, 35 Civil Guard personnel and 55 media.
A las 21:10 hours, the Minister of Justice and Interior, Elisa Núñez, has stated that at the moment some 800 hectares are affected. Núñez asks residents to be careful and avoid approaching the fire area so that the firefighting vehicles can move and carry out their work.
At dusk, the aerial resources have been withdrawn and during the night they will continue working in the area: 10 Firefighter crews from the Alicante Provincial Council Consortium, 7 Forest Firefighter crews from the GVA, troops from the UME and the region of Murcia. In the morning the air resources and the Ministry's 2 FOCAs will rejoin.
In statements to the Valencian television d'À Punt, the mayor of Tàrbena, Francisco Javier Molines, reported that the cause of the forest fire was due to "uncontrolled burning."
The Advanced Command Post -PMA- has been attended by the Minister of Justice and Interior, as well as the Government delegate Pilar Bernabé, along with mayors, president of the Provincial Council and other authorities, who have made a balance of the evolution of the fire.
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Firefighters carrying out extinguishing work on the fire
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Firefighters coordinating extinguishing efforts
