The Generalitat has ordered the evacuation of at least seven municipalities in the Serra d'Espadà and the confinement of two others due to the unstoppable advance of the fire. The flames, fanned by the westerly wind, have already ravaged hundreds of hectares.
The forest fire declared this Saturday in Vall d'Uixó has forced authorities to order mass evacuations in several municipalities of the Plana Baixa region. The rapid spread of the fire, driven by the westerly wind, led the Emergency Coordination Centre of the Generalitat to activate the Es-Alert on the mobile phones of the population.
The first municipality to be evacuated was Vilavella, where the flames crossed the area of the hermitage. Shortly after, evacuations were ordered for Artana and Eslida. In Vilavella, confinement had initially been decreed, but the critical evolution of the fire forced the evacuation of the entire population, who were moved to the multifunctional centre in Nules, set up as a reception point.
In Vall d'Uixó, the Town Hall asked residents to confine themselves in their homes and avoid mobility outside the urban core. However, around eight in the evening, several streets in the Toledo and Carbonaire neighbourhoods, the closest to the fire, were evacuated following a reactivation of the fire in that area.
In Artana, the Civil Guard directed residents towards the CV-223 road heading to the CV-10 motorway, but the advance of the flames surrounded the route, so the evacuation was redirected towards Eslida. At seven in the evening, evacuation of Eslida was also ordered along the same road to the neighbouring Onda.
Betxí, for its part, received the order to confine, although the areas of Penya Negra, Solaig, and Montserrat were urgently evacuated due to the threat of a new focus that appeared in Artana advancing towards Solaig.
After eight in the evening, the Generalitat issued a new Es-Alert ordering the chain evacuation of Aín, Alfondeguilla, Alcudia de Veo and its districts, Tales, and the district of Artesa (Onda) with its urbanisations. These populations were to evacuate via the CV-230 road towards Onda.
The fire, which started in Vall d'Uixó, has advanced towards the northeast, reaching the slope between Nules and Vilavella. Adverse weather conditions, with westerly winds, have hindered firefighting efforts. Teams from the Castellón Provincial Firefighters and the Generalitat are working in the area, supported by aerial resources.
The Generalitat has activated situation 2 of the Special Plan against Forest Fires, which allows for the mobilization of extraordinary resources. The population in the affected areas is advised to follow the instructions of the authorities and stay informed through official channels.
This fire adds to others that have affected the Valencian Community in recent days, during an especially dry and hot summer. Authorities remind the importance of taking extreme precautions and avoiding any activities that could provoke a fire.
You may also like
