The forest fire declared in the Vall d'Uixó (Castellón) has 16,000 people evacuated from 18 municipalities and 64,000 confined in three localities. The night has been calmer, but residents are nervously awaiting the chance to return home.
The second night since the start of the forest fire in the Vall d'Uixó (Castellón) has passed with greater calm, although tension remains among the 16,000 evacuated from 18 municipalities and urbanisations, who are impatiently waiting for the order to return. Additionally, 64,000 people remain confined in the localities of Vall d'Uixó, Onda, and Betxí, where the population is largely respecting the measure.
According to sources from the affected municipalities, the evolution of the fire is favourable and the firefighting efforts are progressing, which has allowed for a calmer night than the previous one. However, the evacuated residents do not hide their nervousness as they see that, for the moment, they will not be able to return to their homes this Monday.
The mayor of Eslida, Lucía Doñate, has stated that the situation of the fire is "more controlled", although she acknowledged that people are "very nervous" as the hours pass. In her municipality, the fire has not reached the urban area, and the number of people relocated has decreased from 25 to 13, who are currently in a shelter in Vila-real after passing through Alcora and Ribesalbes.
In Alcudia de Veo, Mayor Mariano Molina has indicated that they are "calm" because the fire is "far away" and they trust that the firefighting efforts will progress significantly this Monday. Initially, they had five residents relocated in the Onda pavilion, but all have been taken in by a family.
In the confined municipalities, the measure is being generally complied with. Sources from the Vall d'Uixó Town Hall have explained that there are fewer people on the streets, who only go out for essentials, such as buying food. However, they noted that the confinement order from the Conselleria de Emergencias, published last night, is not very exhaustive, so some non-essential shops have opened, but overall "it is working quite well and people are staying at home."
In the Vall d'Uixó, which has 35,000 inhabitants and has four evacuated neighbourhoods in addition to the general confinement, the presence of smoke is notable this morning as the wind has ceased, which also contributes to the population remaining in their homes. All municipal services are closed except for the Local Police, the municipal brigade, and health centres.
In Onda, municipal buildings, the day centre, and summer schools have been closed, and all municipal activities have been suspended. The two health centres in the locality remain open to attend to the population.
For the residents of Mallorca, although the fire is occurring in Castellón, the situation reminds them of the vulnerability of forest areas and the importance of prevention and evacuation measures. In the event of a similar fire on the island, local authorities would activate similar protocols, with confinements and preventive evacuations to protect the population.
Weather forecasts for the coming hours are crucial for the evolution of the fire. Weak winds are expected to persist, which will aid firefighting efforts. Emergency teams continue to work to control the perimeter and prevent the fire from reactivating.
The priority remains the safety of individuals, and authorities will not give the order to return until it is guaranteed that there is no risk. Evacuated residents will have to wait, hoping that the fire will be declared controlled in the coming days.
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