Mar Menor homes evacuated as fire burns through 19 hectares of land at La Hita near San Javier Airport
The fire has now been stabilised but the campsite nearby had to be evacuated
A wildfire broke out early this Tuesday afternoon, April 29, in La Hita, a protected natural area near the old San Javier airport, burning up 19 hectares of scrubland.
The fire, which was brought under control by Tuesday evening, triggered an extensive emergency response according to sources from the Emergency Coordination Centre, including evacuations and a police investigation into its possible cause.
La Hita is a sensitive ecological zone bordered by the Mar Menor, Los Narejos (Los Alcázares), the old air hub, the Nueva Ribera Beach Club and the Camper Park Area campsite. The area falls within the municipalities of both San Javier and Los Alcázares, and is described by San Javier’s mayor, José Miguel Luengo, as having “important environmental value”.
Local residents were advised to close their windows due to ash in the air, and to avoid the area entirely. As a precaution, the Nueva Ribera Beach Club, a luxury seafront complex, was evacuated. The nearby Camper Park Area in Los Alcázares was also cleared, with caravans relocated further away from the flames.
By the early afternoon, the fire had already burned through around 30 hectares of tall reeds, and strong winds and dry conditions hampered firefighting efforts. At the height of the emergency, a dozen fire engines, specialist forestry trucks, and two municipal backhoe loaders were deployed to tackle the blaze.
The Department of Civil Protection escalated the situation to Level 2 of the Municipal Emergency Plan, citing the scale of the fire and the difficult weather conditions. The CISSMU building was readied to receive evacuees if needed.
Meanwhile, police are reviewing security camera footage as part of a potential arson investigation. At 1.06pm on Tuesday, a car was seen entering the area at high speed; just three minutes later, smoke was visible in the same location. Although the footage does not reveal the model or colour of the vehicle, police may request higher-resolution images from military perimeter cameras.
As night fell and aerial firefighting units withdrew, around 15 to 16 personnel from the Forest Fire Defence Unit remained on the ground to monitor the situation. By 9pm, officials confirmed that the fire had been stabilised.
Images: Ayuntamiento de Los Alcázares
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