started · updated
Las Hurdes forest fire forces 700 evacuations and spreads to Salamanca
A major forest fire in the Las Hurdes region of Cáceres, Spain, has caused significant destruction and forced the evacuation of approximately 700 people from ten different hamlets. The blaze, which began in the municipality of Pinofranqueado, has consumed an estimated 1,600 to 2,300 hectares of pine forest and has spread across the provincial border into Salamanca.
The Junta de Extremadura has activated operational level 2 of the Infocaex plan, allowing for the mobilization of state resources, including the Military Emergencies Unit (UME). Firefighting efforts involve hundreds of personnel, including forest firefighters, heavy machinery, and numerous aerial units such as helicopters and amphibious planes. The fire's behavior has been described as convective, creating its own localized weather patterns that complicate containment efforts.
Among those evacuated was El Cottolengo, a charity center for people with severe disabilities, where 34 users were relocated to facilities in Plasencia and the Hermanitas de los Pobres center. Local authorities, including the mayor of Pinofranqueado, have suggested the fire might have been intentional due to the lack of lightning during its onset. Meanwhile, the President of Extremadura, María Guardiola, faced criticism from displaced residents regarding emergency management and communication during the evacuation process.
Entities
El Cottolengo · José Luis Azabal · Junta de Extremadura · Las Hurdes · María Guardiola · Military Emergencies Unit · Pinofranqueado · Unidad Militar de Emergencias
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Approximately 700 people have been evacuated due to the fire. www.diariodemallorca.es · www.levante-emv.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] El Cottolengo, a charity center for people with severe disabilities, was evacuated. www.diariodemallorca.es · www.levante-emv.com · www.cope.es
- [● 5 SOURCES] The Junta de Extremadura has maintained an operational level 2 status under the Infocaex plan. www.diariodemallorca.es · www.levante-emv.com · www.renovablesverdes.com · www.cope.es · www.informacion.es
- [● 5 SOURCES] The fire has destroyed an estimated 1,600 hectares of pine forest. www.diariodemallorca.es · www.levante-emv.com · www.larazon.es · www.que.es · es.euronews.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] 34 users from El Cottolengo were moved to the Centro Sociosanitario de Plasencia and the Hermanitas de los Pobres center. www.diariodemallorca.es · www.levante-emv.com · www.cope.es · es.euronews.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] There are currently 150 personnel working on the ground to extinguish the fire. www.diariodemallorca.es · www.levante-emv.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The mayor suggested the fire may have been intentional due to the lack of storms or lightning. www.larazon.es · www.que.es · es.euronews.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] The Infocaex Plan has been elevated to operational level 2. www.renovablesverdes.com · www.cope.es · www.diariodemallorca.es · www.informacion.es · www.elperiodico.digital
- [● 4 SOURCES] Three permanent residences were destroyed in the hamlet of Avellanar. www.larazon.es · www.que.es · es.euronews.com
- [● 6 SOURCES] The Military Emergencies Unit (UME) has been mobilized to the area. www.renovablesverdes.com · www.cope.es · www.diariodemallorca.es · www.levante-emv.com · es.euronews.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Firefighting conditions improved overnight due to decreased convective activity. www.cope.es
- [● 4 SOURCES] The fire has affected 1,600 hectares of pine forest. www.larazon.es · www.diariodemallorca.es · es.euronews.com · www.que.es