More than 170 soldiers have been mobilized to evacuate a popular vacation spot following a wildfire that created a 65ft wall of flames engulfing two villages in southeastern Spain. Nearly 200 individuals have been relocated after a forest fire tore through the villages in Murcia, situated near the southern Costa Blanca close to Benidorm and Alicante.
Yesterday evening, about 170 soldiers from the Army’s specialized UME unit were called in to assist firefighters and other emergency personnel combating the fire both on the ground and from the air. The alert was raised by hikers on the nearby mountain ridge of Cresta Del Gallo at 3 pm yesterday upon spotting fires breaking out in a nearby national park.
The fire quickly spread across the Murcia region, prompting over 200 distressed locals to contact emergency services. Footage from the scene captured terrified tourists and residents fleeing from the towering inferno, which rapidly intensified, consuming everything in its path.
More than 300 firefighters, emergency responders, and soldiers were dispatched to combat the blaze, with aircraft and helicopters deployed to douse the flames with water. The fire has currently scorched over 270 hectares of land and resulted in one individual being treated for burns.
In a startling revelation, emergency services suggested that the fire may have been deliberately ignited by an arsonist. Murcia mayor Rebeca Perez expressed gratitude to the emergency services for their tireless efforts in battling the fire without pause.
One local resident, who opted to evacuate voluntarily before being instructed to do so, described the ominous scene, stating, “The entire sky is gray. Smoke is visible from here, and the fire is still raging.” Another resident mentioned the close proximity of the flames to residential areas, emphasizing the rapid spread of the fire due to the lush vegetation that had not been cleared following recent heavy rains in the region.
As of Wednesday morning, the forest fire has been reported as “without active flames,” with only “hot spots” remaining, posing no immediate threat, according to emergency services.
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