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Murcia’s forest fire season has officially begun with the first blaze of the summer reported in the municipality of Albudeite. The fire broke out on Wednesday June 11 in the riverbed of the River Mula and affected 1,618 square metres of tamarisk, reeds and gorse growing along its banks.

 

The emergency services received several calls via the 112 hotline at 10.11am, prompting the rapid mobilisation of environmental agents, firefighters from the Consorcio de Extinción de Incendios y Salvamento de la Región de Murcia, and air and ground support from the Infomur Plan, the Region’s forest fire response programme.

 

Resources deployed included a helicopter with an onboard technician, a helicopter-borne forestry brigade and two ground-based forestry brigades. Their combined efforts quickly brought the fire under control by 12.49pm, at which point some of the aerial resources and fire crews began to withdraw.

 

By 1.58pm, only one of the ground brigades remained in place to dampen hotspots and prevent re-ignition. At 9.04pm, the fire was officially declared extinguished and the remaining personnel were stood down.

 

As temperatures continue to rise across the Region of Murcia, the risk of further wildfires remains high. According to the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet), the Altiplano, the Mula Basin, the Guadalentín, the west coast and the Vega Alta-Ricote-Murcia areas are all currently at high risk. The east coast and northwest regions face a moderate risk.

 

Image: Unidad de Defensa contra los Incendios Forestales