The fire continues to rage relentlessly in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, especially in the provinces of Ourense and León, while in Cáceres, one flank of the blaze is"out of control." Thousands of people remain evacuated in the affected towns, numerous roads remain closed, and while some fires are under control, new ones are breaking out, and firefighting services are unable to contain them all.
The situation has become more complicated in recent hours in Extremadura. The Jarilla fire (Cáceres) is"completely out of control" on its northern flank, according to President María Guardiola. This fire has already spread to the Port of Honduras and is only seven kilometers from the provincial border of Salamanca, so Castilla y León has been warned that it may enter its territory. In six days, it has razed 11,000 hectares, and has forced the evacuation of Gargantilla and the Hervás confinement area (in the Ambroz Valley, bordering Salamanca) today. 17 teams are working there, in a very complicated and difficult-to-access area.
Castilla y León has 28 active forest fires, with ten of them at the maximum severity level (level 2), another ten at level 1, and another seven active in various parts of the region, although the worst of it continues to be in the west of the Autonomous Community. There, thousands of people have had to leave their homes due to the proximity of the flames and the intense smoke they cause. The province of León, which has accounted for 11 of the 21 major active fires, is monitoring its borders after fires in Ourense, Asturias, and Zamora crossed into its territory, and after two of its fires also crossed into Palencia, causing evacuations. This afternoon, the fire in the León part of the Picos de Europa was of particular concern, having already forced the evacuation of 10 towns and having reached Cantabria"in a light manner."
In Galicia, where the fire has razed 50,000 hectares, there are still 13 active fires that have not been brought under control, 12 of them in the province of Ourense, which remains in emergency status 2. The largest fire is burning in Chandrexa de Queixa, where the Requeixo and Parafita fires have joined, as well as the Vilariño de Conso-Mormentelos fire. It has scorched some 17,000 hectares, also affecting the municipalities of Manzaneda, Montederramo, A Pobra de Trives, O Bolo and Laza.
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, visited Ourense to learn firsthand about the situation of the wildfires ravaging the Galician province. There, in his first address to the media since the beginning of the crisis, he proposed the formation of a"great state pact" to prepare Spain for climatic events such as wildfires or hurricanes. During the afternoon, he traveled to Villablino (León) to learn about the situation in the province with the regional president, Alfonso Fernández Mañueco. Meanwhile, King Felipe VI visited the headquarters of the Military Emergency Unit (UME) in Torrejón de Ardoz (Madrid).
20:16
The Yeres fire in León has a perimeter of 120 kilometers and 20 kilometers are out of control.
The Yeres/Llamas de Cabrera forest fire, in the León region of El Bierzo, which has affected the Las Médulas natural area, a World Heritage Site, continues to show very aggressive and virulent behavior and has a perimeter of 120 kilometers, of which 20 are out of control.
The technical director of the Yeres/Llamas de Cabrera forest fire, Enrique Rey, warned this Sunday of the extreme difficulty in containing the flames of this blaze, which were originally two separate fires that finally merged after affecting Las Médulas and which has forced the evacuation of three other towns: Saceda, Castrillo and Noceda.
The fire has been burning"abnormally and very virulent" for 48 hours, and its perimeter reaches 120 kilometers, of which 100 are contained but the remaining 20 remain out of control. The priority objective, according to Rey, is to protect nearby towns and ensure the safety of firefighting teams. In this regard, they are"looking for opportunities overnight and tomorrow" to carry out indirect attacks that will help slow the spread of the flames.
20:15
The fire in El Payo (Salamanca) has destroyed more than 3,500 hectares.
The Regional Government of Castilla y León has estimated that the fire that broke out this Friday, August 15, in the Salamanca municipality of El Payo has destroyed 3,530 hectares in a first estimate of the impact of the flames, according to information from the Ministry of the Environment collected by Europa Press.
This fire, which had escalated to IGR 2 on the day it started and had forced the evacuation of residents of the municipality, is currently at IGR 1, and a more precise assessment is expected once the fire is extinguished. Currently, more than fifteen ground vehicles are working to extinguish the fire, including three fire engines. The probable cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
20:12
The fire enters Cantabria through Camaleño and in a"light" manner.
The Government of Cantabria has reported that the fire from the border fires of Castilla y León and Asturias has reached Cantabrian territory through the municipality of Camaleño.
According to the report, the flames entered the autonomous community at 6:11 p.m. and were"lightly" deployed, given that intensive work was already underway at that location, via the Salvorón mountain passes located in the municipality. An operation consisting of approximately 70 personnel, including forest firefighters and Natural Environment agents from the Ministry of Rural Development, technicians from the Ministry of the Presidency, and members of the Red Cross have joined the operation in the area and at the Advanced Command Post (PMA) that the Government deployed this Sunday in Vega de Liébana to carry out extinguishing and prevention efforts.
The Minister for the Presidency, Isabel Urrutia, has indicated that thanks to the prevention work carried out in the area by Cantabrian government technicians since yesterday,"the fire has been brought under control." She also announced that she has received authorization from the National Emergency Monitoring and Coordination Center (CENEM) for the Military Emergency Unit's (UME) air resources to deploy to the area, which is why the Cantabrian Government today raised the Cantabria Territorial Emergency Plan (PLATERCANT) to status 2.
The Cantabrian government has indicated that the Ministry has not yet confirmed when the aircraft will arrive, although the resources available to the government will continue working to prevent the fire from spreading into the region's territory, it has assured.
19:47
The fire on the León side of the Picos de Europa reaches Cantabria.
The forest fire affecting Barniedo de la Reina (León) has crossed into the Cantabrian side of the Picos de Europa National Park. The Government of Cantabria, through its Operational Coordination Center, reports in a statement that the fire entered the autonomous community at 6:11 p.m."in a minor manner," given that "intensive work was already underway on that fire" through the Salvorón passes in the municipality of Camaleño.
Meanwhile, the Regional Government of Castile and León has ordered the evacuation of ten towns in the Valdeón Valley and the Valle de la Reina, in the Picos de Europa area, due to the complexity of the forest fire that started in Barniedo de la Reina (León). Specifically, Barniedo de la Reina, Espejo de la Reina, Villafrea de la Reina, Santa Marina de Valdeón, Cardiñales, Prada de Valdeón, Los Llanos, Soto de Valdeón, Caldevilla de Valdeón and Posada de Valdeón are being evacuated, according to the Regional Government's Territorial Delegation.
19:22
The King recognizes the work of the UME against the voracity of fires and calls for caution.
Felipe VI visited the headquarters of the Military Emergency Unit (UME) and thanked the soldiers for their work in combating the"tremendous voracity" of the flames. He also called on citizens to exercise caution and heed the authorities' instructions and avoid potential risks.
Accompanied by the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, Felipe VI traveled to the barracks at the Torrejón de Ardoz air base (Madrid) to receive the latest information on the deployment of UME personnel to extinguish the fires, which are facing an"extremely critical" situation. He also expressed his willingness to go on-site to affected areas when the evolution of the situation and circumstances so advise.
18:40
A mayor from Picos de Europa:"We're not going to leave the town, we're going to protect it."
The mayor of the Royal Council of Valdeón, Felipe Campo, assured EFE this Sunday that the young people of the Valdeón Valley, in the heart of the León side of the Picos de Europa National Park, are going to ignore the evacuation order from the Regional Government of Castilla y León due to the proximity of the fire that broke out in Barniedo, which has reached that area from Cabrales (Asturias), as they are trying to defend their homes."We are not going to leave the town, we are going to protect it," stressed the mayor, who acknowledged that the work by the youngest people has been carried out non-stop since Saturday, focused solely on protecting the eight population centers that make up the Valdeón Valley, with its main municipality, Posada de Valdeón, at the head.
Campo explained that around a thousand people who were passing through the area have left in the last few hours, both in rural accommodation and in camping areas, and that elderly people have also been evacuated, but he insisted that the decision to stay and defend the villages was made even before the evacuation order was issued. The inhabitants of this area fear that the shortage of fire-fighting equipment and the coincidence of fires in recent days will mean that the villages may be affected. The widespread complaint in the area is the lack of fire-fighting equipment, with only one seaplane this morning, while the Civil Guard has been in charge of trying to evacuate the villages.
The complications of this forest fire, combined with another fire that broke out yesterday from Asturias, pose a significant threat to the Picos de Europa National Park.
18:14
16 roads in five autonomous communities remain closed due to the fires, all of them secondary.
The General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) reported that, at around 5:30 p.m., 16 roads, all secondary, in five autonomous communities (Extremadura, Galicia, Castilla y León, Asturias, and Cantabria) remained closed due to the fires.
In Cáceres, the closed roads are the CC-218 in Casas del Monte; the CC-224 in Hervás; and the CC-234 in Valdastillas.
In Ourense, the N-525 in Guimarei; the OU-533 in Outar de Pregos; and the OU-1009 in Cabreiroá are affected. Access to the A-52 in Vilardevós (kilometer 155), in Ribadavia towards Vigo, and in Melón towards Benavente are also affected. The road closures are at kilometers 252 and 262, with a detour via the N-120.
Meanwhile, in León, the roads closed are the N-621; the LE-2703 in Portilla de la Reina; the CL-626 in Puente Almuhey; the LE-164 in Yebra; the LE-495 in Meroy; and the LE-5228 in Salas de los Barrios. Also in Castile and León, in Zamora, the ZA-102 in Barjacoba and the ZA-P-1405 in Palazuelo de las Cuevas are closed; in Palencia, the CL-626 in Guardo; and in Burgos, the BU-622 in Arroyal.
Likewise, in Asturias, the AS-227 in Caunedo and the CO-4 in Covadonga are affected. And in Cantabria, the N-621 in Vejo.
17:58
Jarilla (Cáceres): 11,000 hectares devastated and plans to confine La Garganta are underway.
The forest fire that broke out last Tuesday in the area around the town of Jarilla in Cáceres has already destroyed more than 11,000 hectares and a perimeter of 130 kilometers, making it one of the largest fires recorded in the region in recent years.
This was stated by the Minister of the Presidency, Interior, and Social Dialogue of the Regional Government of Extremadura, Abel Bautista, following the meeting held by the CECOPI (Central Commission for the Protection of the Presidency) at the Advanced Command Post, located in the municipality of La Granja. According to Bautista, the situation remains"very complicated," as the northern flank is "out of control" and is advancing toward new towns, which could force the decree of confinement measures in the coming hours, especially in the town of La Garganta.
17:54
The Valdeón Valley on the León side of the Picos de Europa has been evacuated.
The forest fire in Barniedo de la Reina has become more complicated and has forced the evacuation of seven towns in the Valdeón Valley, on the León side of the Picos de Europa National Park, as well as three other towns in La Reina, the Regional Government of Castile and León has reported.
The Integrated Operational Coordination Center (Cecopi) has agreed to evacuate the towns of Santa Marina, Cardiñales, Prada, Los Llanos, Soto, Caldevilla, and Posada de Valdeón, in addition to the town of Caín de Valdeón, which was evacuated yesterday due to the Caín fire, which spread from Asturias. In addition, the towns of Barniedo de la Reina, Espejo de la Reina, and Vilalfrea de la Reina have been ordered to evacuate, while Portilla de la Reina, Casasuertes, and Llánaves de la Reina are also being evacuated.
The complications of this forest fire, combined with the arrival yesterday of another fire from Asturias, which has closed the Cares Route due to the risk of landslides and is coming from the Asturian region of Cabrales, pose a significant threat to the Picos de Europa National Park. León is heading towards a new environmental disaster after the Yeres fire, which affected the Las Médulas natural area, listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
17:51
Twelve roads affected by the fires, two of them national
A total of twelve roads were closed to traffic due to the fires, including two national roads: the N-621 in Portilla de la Reina-Vejo, in León, and the N-525 in Guimarei-As Estibadas, in the province of Ourense, in both directions. According to data updated by the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) at 3:30 p.m. this Sunday, another ten roads, in this case secondary roads, were affected by the fires in Asturias, Castilla y León, Extremadura, and Galicia.
In the Principality, the CO-4 was affected in both directions from Covadonga to Gamonéu, while in León, the affected highways were the LE-164 from Yebra to Llamas de Cabrera in both directions; the LE-2703 from Portilla de la Reina to Santa Marina de Valdeón, also in both directions; and the LE-5228 from Salas de los Barrios to Bouzas toward Corporales.
Likewise, in Castile and León, fires have forced traffic closures in the province of Zamora on the ZA-102 highway in Villanueva de la Sierra in both directions, and on the ZA-P-1405 highway in Palazuelo de las Cuevas-Mahide toward Pobladura de Aliste.
In Extremadura, three roads were closed, all in Cáceres: the CC-218 in both directions in Casas del Monte; the CC-224 in Hervás toward Cabezuela del Valle; and the CC-234 in both directions in Valdastillas-Rebollar.
In Galicia, in addition to the aforementioned section of the N-525, traffic on the OU-1009 was prohibited in both directions in Cabreiroá, also in the province of Ourense.
17:39
Castile and León: Wind threatens 28 active fires
Strong gusts of wind are complicating the forest fire situation in Castile and León for another day. There are 28 active fires—10 at level 2 and 11 at level 1—requiring 3,500 evacuees. This Sunday, concerns are growing about the threat of the Jarilla fire (Cáceres) entering Salamanca, a new blaze in Zamora, and re-ignitions in León.
The province of León, which is experiencing 11 of the 21 major active fires (the other 7, up to a total of 28, are level 0 fires, with no risk at present), is monitoring its borders after the fires in Ourense, Asturias and Zamora entered its territory, and after two of its fires also crossed into Palencia, causing evacuations. The extinguishing operation is focused on protecting residents and towns, concerned about the advance of the Yeres/Llamas de Cabrera fire, which is progressing well on the Yeres flank - which affected the Las Médulas natural area - but not on the La Cabrera flank, which is very virulent and with 12 towns (681 residents) evacuated.
Two Italian government Canadair tanker aircraft have joined the operation to combat the Barniedo de la Reina fire, at the gateway to the Picos de Europa, which had half its perimeter stabilized this morning but is advancing towards Posadas de Valdeón in strong winds, the same wind that has caused it to enter Palencia. Also of concern are the Canalejas (Almanza) fires, which broke out on Saturday afternoon and entered the province of Palencia through the Guardo area, where work is underway to stop its spread; and the Gestoso fire, which in this case spread from Ourense to León yesterday and has a very active front. Reignited fires, due to strong and shifting winds, are the greatest challenge facing the extinguishing efforts. In total, in León there are 30 evacuated towns, with 1,570 evacuated residents, and there are three other confined towns, with about 70 people.
In the province of Zamora, where the Molezuelas and Puercas fires were breathing life after being downgraded to level 1, they woke up this morning to find a fire that was intentionally set - according to the Regional Government of Castile and León - in Cubo de Benavente, near the perimeter of Molezuelas, but it has been brought under control. However, a new fire has broken out in Mahíde, which is spreading rapidly with strong winds, and has been raised to level 1, while the fires threatening Alta Sanabria remain at level 2: the one in Castromil, past Ourense, and the one in Porto, out of control, which have kept 1,350 residents evacuated.
Strong gusts of wind have Salamanca on alert, where the Cipérez fire is a cause for concern, with four towns evacuated (around 500 residents) and thousands of hectares burned, while the El Payo fire has moved to level 1 with the return of 1,500 residents, and the La Alberca fire is progressing well. And in Salamanca, they are also monitoring the progress of the fire that broke out six days ago in Jarilla (Cáceres), which is"completely out of control" on its northern flank and very close to the province.
On the other hand, the situation in the El Herredón fire in Ávila has improved, having burned 3,000 hectares but no longer having evacuated any towns. Roads and rail traffic have been reopened and affected. Meanwhile, in Palencia, they continue to monitor the fire that broke out a week ago in Resoba, in the Montaña Palentina, and the spread of the two fires in León.
16:26
The Navy sends a hundred infantrymen from San Fernando to fight the fires.
The Navy has deployed around one hundred soldiers from the Second Landing Battalion of the Marine Infantry Brigade Tercio de Armada (TEAR), based in San Fernando (Cádiz), to join the support efforts in the fight against the forest fires affecting the northwest of the peninsula.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Defense, the mobilization follows a request from the Military Emergency Unit (UME), which has requested reinforcements for surveillance tasks, assistance to the population, and support in the areas affected by the fires.
This deployment is in addition to Operation"Centinela Gallego 25," in which seven patrols from the Tercio Norte de Infantería de Marina (TERNOR) have been participating in Galicia since August 15. These patrols are intended to monitor forests and assist in fire prevention through presence and deterrence activities.
The Navy has emphasized that it remains ready to provide new capabilities in personnel and resources that may be required within the framework of this emergency, thus reaffirming its commitment to support Spanish society.
16:07
Man arrested for the Oímbra fire (Ourense) sentenced to prison without bail
The judge of the number 1 square of the Court of First Instance of Verín (Ourense) has ordered the entry into"provisional prison communicated and without bail" of the man arrested and investigated for arson in Oímbra for serious negligence, serious injuries and damages.
According to sources from the High Court of Justice of Galicia (TSXG), the owner considers that there is"a risk of flight due to the severity of the penalties that could be imposed, risk of destruction or alteration of evidence and repeated offenses" on the part of this resident of A Gudiña.
All of this,"without prejudice to the continuation of the investigation and the determination of the possible civil and criminal liabilities of other individuals or legal entities in these events."
The person arrested for the Oímbra fire had been brought before a court on Sunday to testify as the alleged perpetrator of the forest fire that occurred in this Ourense municipality, which burned around 11,000 hectares and injured three firefighters.
15:48
The Army creates a system to prevent contamination of the Serones reservoir (Ávila) by ash from the fire.
The 11th Engineer Specialty Regiment of the Army has completed work in the area around the Serones reservoir, where they have created a drainage system that will prevent the water from being contaminated by ash from the El Herradón de Pinares fire in the event of rain.
Given the risk of the ash from the fire contaminating the reservoir that supplies water to the capital, the mayor of Ávila, Jesús Manuel Sánchez Cabrera, requested the Ministry of Defense to collaborate in preventive measures given the lack of heavy machinery in the province and the possibility that rainfall could drag the ash to the reservoir.
Thus, the work was carried out with machinery provided by the 11th Engineer Regiment, based in Salamanca, following coordination between the Ávila City Council and the Ministry of Defense.
Specifically, the work has consisted of the creation of rings and drainage systems that allow the ash to be retained in the ground to prevent the water from carrying the remains to the reservoir, with the main objective of ensuring that the water that reaches the water treatment plant can be treated and maintain the supply to the residents.
In this regard, Sánchez Cabrera recalled that the province"already has experience" in the past with episodes of lack of drinking water after forest fires, and insisted that its priority is to"prevent this possible contamination."
15:27
Pedro Sánchez assures that the government will do "everything and more" to ensure that those affected by the fires return to normal life "as soon as possible."
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, has promised that the Executive will do"everything and more" to ensure that those affected by the fires can return to normal life, and that"all resources" will be made available to the Xunta and reconstruction will be undertaken.
In this regard, he stressed that in the face of this type of crisis, the Government has always advocated"acting side by side, in a united, coordinated and cooperative manner", and even more so in the face of a climate emergency that science has been warning about for years and whose effects are"increasingly serious" and are becoming more evident "with greater force".
Furthermore, Sánchez wanted to acknowledge"the solidarity" of the different administrations and several countries that have responded by sending resources within the European Civil Protection Mechanism for what could be "the largest deployment" in its history.
14:52
Mañueco reiterates his request to Sánchez for "immediate reinforcement" of the army, which"is not coming."
The president of the Castile and León Regional Government, Alfonso Fernández Mañueco, has reiterated his request to Pedro Sánchez for"immediate reinforcements" of the Army to combat the forest fires. This reinforcement"has not yet arrived," he lamented, and which is necessary given the"exceptional" situation the region is experiencing.
Mañueco, who made these statements in Villablino (León) where this afternoon he will accompany Pedro Sánchez himself on his visit to the area to learn about the evolution of the forest fires in León, has assured that he will take advantage of this meeting to ask for"what the citizens demand of us".
First, the president will insist on demanding"understanding, not political confrontation," as well as greater support from state forces.
"We need all the efforts of the Army, we need all the efforts of the European collaboration mechanism, but they are not coming and they are necessary," he said.
14:10
Pedro Sánchez proposes a"grand state pact" to "resize" the capacity to anticipate and respond to the climate emergency.
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, has visited Ourense to learn firsthand about the situation of the fires that are devastating the Galician province.
There, in his first appearance before the media since the start of the crisis, he proposed the formation of a"great State pact" to prepare Spain for climate events such as fires or hurricanes.
"We need to do a thorough analysis of how we can resize our prevention and response capabilities to the climate emergency. We must leave this issue outside of partisan struggles. We are all part of the same state, and we must all work in the same direction," he said.
Sánchez wanted to vindicate the deployment of civil protection teams throughout the territory and has announced the incorporation of another 500 UME personnel, of which 200 will begin working in Galicia.
The increase in resources will serve to respond during the"critical hours ahead," because, according to the Prime Minister,"the weather is not helping us."
1:30 PM
Castile and León warns of elevated levels of particulate matter in the west due to fires
The Regional Government of Castile and León has warned of the presence of particles in several points in the west of the Community, especially in the region of El Bierzo , as a result of the forest fires that are ravaging the area.
Given this situation, the Ministry of Environment, Housing and Land Use Planning has recommended taking precautionary measures and advises the entire population, especially people with respiratory problems, to limit outdoor activities and physical exercise that involves an increase in respiratory rate.
Likewise, it is recommended that camp, school, or sports club activities not be held outdoors and that, to the extent possible, building windows and forced-air ventilation systems remain closed.
13:03
Feijóo asks Sánchez not to"allow any more time to pass" and for resources to arrive at the fires immediately.
The leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has asked the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, to"not let more time pass" and to "deliver the necessary resources now" to put out the forest fires because the Executive, in his opinion,"has to stop always being late."
This is what the opposition leader said in a post on X, in which he recalls that days ago his party requested the activation of the European Civil Protection Mechanism for more air resources and the deployment of Army personnel and machinery.
12:48
Thirteen roads in five autonomous communities remain closed due to the fires, all of them secondary.
The General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) reported that, at around 12:30 p.m. this Sunday, August 17, 13 roads remained closed, all secondary, in five autonomous communities (Extremadura, Galicia, Castilla y León, Asturias and Cantabria) due to the fires.
In Cáceres, the closed roads are the CC-218 in Casas del Monte; the CC-224 in Hervás; and the CC-234 in Valdastillas.
In Ourense, the N-525 in Guimarei; the OU-533 in Outar de Pregos; the OU-1009 in Cabreiroá; and the access roads to the A-52 in Vilardevós, at kilometer 155, are affected by the fire and the corresponding work by the UME.
Meanwhile, in León, the roads closed are the N-621; the LE-2703 in Portilla de la Reina; the LE-164 in Yebra; and the LE-5228 in Salas de los Barrios. Also in Castile and León, in Zamora, the ZA-102 in Barjacoba is closed.
Likewise, in Asturias the CO-4 is affected in Covadonga and in Cantabria the N-621 in Vejo.
12:40
Ayuso accuses Sánchez of letting"problems fester and then looking for someone to blame."
The president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, asserted this Sunday that the Spanish government lets"problems fester and then looks for someone to blame," which is what Pedro Sánchez has done on "other occasions": "letting everything burn or sink."
"Then he'll come back with the same old line: 'If they need anything, they should ask for it,'" the Madrid president rebuked during the roundup of the speeches made as part of the INFOMA 2025 campaign.
In the face of the fires spreading across Spain, Ayuso asserted that the Spanish government"always acts the same way: paralyzed."
"This is how they act all the time; they lack rigor, humanity, and foresight," he criticized.
12:28
Puente points out that"it is very likely" that the Madrid-Galicia AVE service will not open today either.
The Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente, has stated that"it is very likely" that the Madrid-Galicia high-speed service, which has been interrupted since Thursday as a result of the fires, will not be able to resume today.
"As we feared yesterday, it is very likely that we will not be able to resume service on the Madrid-Galicia high-speed rail line today either," the minister stated in a post on X.
Adif announced via this same social network this morning that the line would remain closed until at least midday.
12:15
Asturias faces 12 forest fires this Sunday, half of which are still active.
Asturias recorded a total of 12 forest fires this Sunday, two fewer than Saturday. Six remain active, four are under control, and two are stabilized, according to the Asturian Emergency Service (SEPA).
One of the most significant fires continues to be the Genestoso fire in Cangas del Narcea, where firefighters from the Tebongo and Somiedo fire stations are working alongside the UME (Mechanical Emergency Unit), forestry crews, two bulldozers, and an aerial vehicle from the SEPA (Secretary of the Ministry of Public Works).
The operation, which includes the sector originating from the Orallo fire in León and also affecting Somiedo, is being coordinated from an Advanced Command Post in the municipality of Cangas, with the participation of firefighters from Grado, the Asturian Forestry Brigades, and the Tineo Fire Brigade.
In Valdeprado, Degaña, work is underway to create a defense line to stop the spread of the Anllares del Sil fire in León. A SEPA Fire Department Zone Chief, personnel from the Tineo fire station, the UME (Mechanical Emergency Unit), the Castilla-La Mancha Helicopter Transport Brigade, the Asturian Forestry Brigades (Brigadas Forestales Asturianas), and heavy machinery remain in the area.
Other active fires are located in Bezanes, in Caso, where firefighters from the San Martín del Rey Aurelio fire station, a Zone Chief, and the Cofoso company are working; in Taranes, in Ponga, pending review by the Natural Environment officials; in Camarmeña, in Cabrales, where the Cares Route remains closed and firefighters from Cangas de Onís are present along with a SEPA helicopter; and in Villamarcel/Faedo, in Quirós, under the supervision of the nursery.
The fires are now under control in the municipalities of Cangas del Narcea and Coaña, while two other fires remain under control in Villanueva de Oscos and Ponga, with firefighters and environmental officials participating.
11:44
Maximum concern over the lack of resources to combat the Jarilla fire (Cáceres):"The northern flank is out of control."
There is great concern about the progress of the Jarilla fire (Cáceres), which forced the evacuation of 250 residents of Rebollar last night."The rest of the fires are stabilized. And with respect to the Jarilla fire, the southern flank is progressing favorably, but the northern flank is out of control. Therefore, we have decided to evacuate Gargantilla and confine Hervás," announced the president of Extremadura, María Guardiola, after the CECOPI meeting.
"We have asked the Spanish government to request from Europe the necessary resources to put out a fire that is completely out of control," said Guardiola, who specified that the government delegate assured them that" the Spanish government cannot meet our request because it does not have sufficient resources."
11:23
Spain awaits the arrival of planes from the Netherlands to fight the fires.
Spain is awaiting the arrival of planes from the Netherlands to fight the fires, according to the Director of Civil Protection and Emergencies, Virginia Barcones, who confirmed this Sunday.
"The European Civil Protection Mechanism, the 27 countries plus the 10 participating countries, have been aware of and are receiving our request for assistance from the very beginning, which is being implemented and will continue to reach our country over the coming days," he stated in an interview with RTVE.
In this regard, Barcones specified that these are new aircraft from the Netherlands. However, he also added that Spain is currently negotiating how to coordinate the dispatch of aircraft and, with other countries, the arrival of forestry agents and firefighters who can assist in the firefighting efforts.
"Throughout the day, we have several meetings with the European mechanism, with the countries that can provide these resources, and today will be a crucial day to finalize the arrival of all these resources to our country, which we have been managing since Monday," he noted.
The Dutch planes would join those already arriving in Spain from Italy and France to assist with the fires. On Thursday, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska announced the arrival in Galicia of two Canadair tanker planes sent by France. Meanwhile, the Italian planes landed this Saturday at the Matacán air base (Salamanca).
10:53
Extremadura has recorded four active fires, with special attention paid to the Jarrilla fire, which is progressing unfavorably.
Extremadura woke up this Sunday to four fires still active in the region, with the one in Jarilla (Cáceres) showing unfavorable progress.
The Aliseda and Membrío fires, also in the province of Cáceres, and the Alburquerque fire in Badajoz, are progressing favorably, according to the latest update released by the Ministry of Forestry and Rural Management.
Regarding road conditions, the CC-218 (from the N-630 to Aldeanueva del Camino via Casas del Monte and Segura de Toro) remains closed in the province of Cáceres; the CC-224, from Hervás (EX-205) to the N-110 (to Cabezuela del Valle); and the CC-234 (from the N-110 to Rebollar) from kilometer 0 to kilometer 3,970 (to Rebollar).
It is worth noting that on Sunday morning, the CC-321 highway was reopened, having been closed from Arroyo de la Luz (kilometer 16.600) to kilometer 2.
10:41
Concern over the fire's entry into the heart of the León slopes of the Picos de Europa
The fire's approach to the León side of the Picos de Europa National Park from Asturias, near the municipality of Posada de Valdeón, has kept the town of Caín evacuated and cut off access to the Cares route due to the risk of rockfall.
While the extent of the environmental damage caused in a particularly sensitive area is still unknown, the fire remains at Level 1 severity this morning. The danger and need for access to this route for firefighting equipment have kept the N-621 highway closed between kilometer markers 112 and 134.
Specifically, this section of road connects the municipalities of Portilla de la Reina (León) and the Cantabrian town of Vejo.
The fire originates in the Asturian region of Cabrales and, along with other areas of the Picos de Europa, has prompted authorities to call for the avoidance of usual mountaineering and hiking activities, due to the risk they entail in these circumstances marked by forest fires.
9:49
The King visits the headquarters of the UME
The King will visit the headquarters of the Military Emergency Unit (UME) in Torrejón de Ardoz (Madrid) early this afternoon to receive the latest information on the deployment of its personnel to extinguish the fires, according to Zarzuela. Felipe VI will be accompanied by the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles.
A total of 1,400 members of the Military Emergency Unit (UME) are fighting fires, both directly and in the most serious blazes. Another 2,000 are also on support missions, in addition to 450 deployed resources. This week, Felipe VI has contacted the presidents of the communities affected by the fires by telephone to inquire about the fire situation in each of them.
9:46
More than a dozen roads closed and no trains to Galicia
Thirteen Spanish highways, two of them national highways, remained closed on Sunday morning due to forest fires affecting several provinces in Asturias, Castile and León, Extremadura, and Galicia, the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) reported. The two national highways affected are the N-621 in Castile-León, between Portilla de la Reina (León) and Vejo (Cantabria); and the N-525 in Galicia, between Guimarei and As Estibadas (Ourense).
The N-432 between Villanueva del Rey and Belmez (Córdoba) has been reopened to traffic after having been closed for hours this Saturday and in the early hours of the morning, once the fire affecting the first of the aforementioned towns has been stabilized.
The rest of the affected roads are secondary roads in Asturias, León, Zamora, Cáceres, and Ourense.
Likewise, the high-speed rail service between Madrid and Galicia will remain interrupted until at least midday. Adif teams continue to inspect the infrastructure to rule out possible damage, according to the railway infrastructure management company via the social media platform X.
9:32
Galicia: up to 14 active fires
The fires currently being fought by firefighting services in Galicia have burned more than 48,000 hectares , the majority in the province of Ourense , although the fire is advancing and new fires have been declared in O Saviñao-Chave and Cervantes-Vilarello, in the province of Lugo. There are currently up to eleven active fires in the province of Ourense, which remains in emergency status 2, in addition to two more in Lugo and one in Pontevedra.
In the worst affected province, Ourense, the largest fire, in Chandrexa de Queixa, where the Requeixo and Parafita fires joined together and the Vilariño de Conso-Mormentelos fire also joined, has scorched some 17,000 hectares, also affecting the municipalities of Manzaneda, Montederramo, A Pobra de Trives, O Bolo and Laza.
The others are located in Maceda (Santiso and Castro de Escuadro, which also joined, with 3,000 hectares razed), Oímbra-A Granxa (11,000 ha), A Mezquita-A Esculqueira (9,000 ha), Vilardevós-Vilar de Cervos (800 ha), Vilardevós-Moialde (500 ha), Vilardevós-Fumaces and A Trepa (100 ha), Carballeda de Avia-Vilar de Condes (1,000 ha),
9:29
Castile and León wakes up with 27 active fires
Castilla y León begins the day with up to 27 active forest fires, with ten of them at the maximum level of severity - level 2 -, another ten at level 1 and another seven active in various parts of the Community, although the worst part continues to be felt in the west of this territory, where thousands of people have had to leave their homes due to the proximity of the flames and the intense smoke they cause.
Temperatures close to 40 degrees and strong winds have marked the last few days, in which the simultaneous occurrence of fires has created greater difficulties for firefighting services, according to officials from the Junta de Castilla y León in recent hours. These are fires"beyond the capacity of any operation to extinguish", impossible to predict, which is why priority is being given to people and towns over the mountains, they explained regarding some of the fires attended to over the weekend.
Specifically, the following fires remain active and maintain a level 2 severity level: Fasgar, Anllares del Sil, Llamas de la Cabrera, Yeres and Paradiña, Barniedo de la Reina and Canalejas in the province of León; those of Castromil and Porto in Zamora; and the list of most serious fires is completed by the one declared in the municipality of Cipérez in Salamanca.
Among the Level 1 fires, most of which were once considered extremely serious, are the La Uña, Caín de Valdeón, and Gestoso fires in the province of León; the Molezuelas de la Carballeda fire—currently the largest fire in the region and one of the largest in Spain's history—and the Puercas fire in the province of Zamora; the Resoba fire in the province of Palencia; the La Alberca and El Payo fires in Salamanca; and the El Herradón fire, near the capital of Ávila.
9:20
The Jarilla fire, completely out of control
The fire that started five days ago in Jarilla, in the north of the province of Cáceres, and which was almost stabilized but was reignited by the wind, is currently"completely out of control" and 70% of its area is unable to be addressed due to lack of accessibility and the conditions it faces. The Minister for the Presidency, Interior and Social Dialogue, Abel Bautista, made these statements last night at the end of the Cecopi meeting, which was attended by the President of the Regional Government, María Guardiola, at the Advanced Command Post located in the town of La Granja.
In addition to the urgent evacuation of the 250 residents of the town of Rebollar, due to a sudden change in the wind, clients of the Balneario Valle del Jerte have been asked to voluntarily leave the facilities tonight and if they wish to remain there, to be prepared for evacuation. The town of Rebollar, with around 200 inhabitants, was evacuated tonight due to the proximity of the fire that broke out five days ago in the municipality of Jarilla, in the north of the province of Cáceres.
The 112-Extremadura Emergency and Urgency Center carried out a massive dispatch of Es-Alert last night to organize the evacuation, which took place at 9:45 p.m. at the door of the cooperative, at the entrance to the town, as published by this service on its X account.
