Santa Pola wildfire brought under control after breaking out near Rio Safari
Fire crews from across Alicante were deployed as flames threatened the salt flats
A fire that broke out in reedbeds near Rio Safari in Santa Pola, Alicante has now been fully extinguished after a major emergency response involving firefighters, helicopters and forest firefighting units.
The blaze started on Sunday evening, June 21, in an area close to the popular wildlife park, with the first alert being received shortly before 6pm. What initially began as a reedbed fire was later classed as a forest fire as conditions developed.
Fire crews from the Santa Pola station were first on the scene, quickly joined by four additional fire engines from Elche. An HV3 helicopter with a coordination team was also deployed to help guide operations from the air, along with specialist forest firefighting units.
According to the Alicante Provincial Fire Consortium, the response included two command units from headquarters, a non-commissioned officer and a sergeant overseeing operations on the ground. A heavy urban fire engine from Santa Pola also attended, supported by a tanker crew and additional firefighters.
Although officials confirmed the affected area was relatively limited in size, the fire did reach parts of the salt flats of the Santa Pola Natural Park, raising concerns due to the environmental sensitivity of the area.
Despite the scale of the response, no injuries were reported.
Fire crews worked through the evening and the situation was brought fully under control, with the fire officially declared extinguished at around 9pm.
The authorities have not yet confirmed what caused the blaze.
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