The wildfire that broke out in the Sierra de Espuña, in the interior of the province of Murcia, has led to the activation of an emergency operation and put the Military Emergencies Unit (UME) on alert, due to the risk that strong gusts of wind could complicate efforts to bring it under control. The regional president, Fernando López Miras, said the unit will remain on standby in case a rapid intervention is needed should the situation deteriorate.
For his part, the Spanish government’s delegate in Murcia, Francisco Lucas, confirmed that the deployment of the UME has already been authorised and that several units are heading towards the affected area. "Resources are on their way," he noted, while stressing the need to strengthen institutional coordination and calling for the immediate involvement of the Emergency Coordination Centre.
The fire broke out at 11:42 in the area around Llano de las Cabras and forced the mobilisation of firefighters from the Murcia Regional Fire and Rescue Consortium, who responded from the Lorca and Alhama-Totana stations. Since then, crews have been working to contain a blaze that has remained active since midday.
The Special Civil Protection Plan for Forest Fires (Infomur Plan) has been activated at level 2, which is used when there is a risk of serious impact on people or property. This level makes it possible to request extraordinary resources and, if necessary, to declare an emergency of national interest if the development of the fire so requires.
According to the UME, several units from the 3rd Intervention Battalion have set off from the Bétera base in Valencia to reinforce the operation in Murcia. The authorities are maintaining constant monitoring of a fire whose evolution continues to be shaped by adverse weather conditions.
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