# Castellón province forest fire response > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/castelln-province-forest-fire-response > Updated: 2026-08-08T07:50:37.000Z. Sources: 56. Developments: 2. On 7 August 2026, the president of the Generalitat Valenciana, Juanfran Pérez Llorca, joined a coordination meeting at the Centre for Integrated Operational Coordination (CECOPI) to oversee firefighting efforts in the Sierra Engarcerán, Culla and Tirig areas. He thanked fire crews, security forces, municipalities and residents, emphasizing the need for a joint response. The following day, 8 August, three separate forest fires erupted across the interior of Castellón province, prompting the regional government to declare a level‑2 emergency under the special forest‑fire plan. The blazes, reportedly caused by lightning strikes during dry storms, affected Tírig, Culla, and Sierra d'en Galcerán. As of 8 August, approximately 200 personnel and 17 aerial assets have been deployed to the Castellón fires. While the fire in Culla has been reported as controlled and conditions in Sierra d'en Galcerán have improved, the fire in Tírig remains a major concern, drawing concentrated efforts from the Military Emergencies Unit (UME). The fires have necessitated the evacuation of 91 people from various farmhouses and the confinement of residents in Sierra d'en Galcerán due to smoke. By later on 8 August, the Tírig fire became the primary focus, having burned 395 hectares across a 15-kilometer perimeter. Due to the situation, the municipality of Catí was placed under preventive confinement and evacuation via the CV-128 or N232 roads toward Xert. While the fire in Salzadella was extinguished and others in Culla and Serra d'en Galceran stabilized, the Tírig fire continues to drive the emergency response. In the broader context of Spain's wildfire season, the Tírig fire continues to require significant resources from the UME and forest firefighters to protect livestock and residences. The total area affected by wildfires across Spain since the beginning of 2026 has reached nearly 200,000 hectares. ## Claims - The wildfire in southwestern Spain has consumed between 4,000 and 8,000 hectares. (disputed by 8 sources) - About 500 firefighters and up to 26 aircraft are engaged in combatting the blaze near Niebla. (disputed by 5 sources) - The emergency response deployed eight fire crews, three URAF units, twenty forest‑fire units, twelve aerial assets and forces from the Unidad Militar de Emergencias. (disputed by 4 sources) - The firefighting effort includes 17 aerial assets and 200 ground personnel. (disputed by 2 sources) - The Niebla fire in Huelva has affected more than 8,000 hectares. (disputed by 2 sources) - The Generalitat Valenciana declared a level-2 situation under the special forest-fire plan. (corroborated by 7 sources) - The forest fires in Castellón were likely caused by lightning from a dry storm. (corroborated by 6 sources) - The forest fire in Baltar has burned approximately 95 hectares. (corroborated by 6 sources) - The municipality of Catí has been placed under preventive confinement due to the Tírig fire. (corroborated by 6 sources) - Approximately 470 to 500 people have been evacuated as a precaution due to the fire. (corroborated by 6 sources) - The fire began near the town of Niebla, approximately 70 kilometers from the Portuguese border. (corroborated by 6 sources) - The Tírig fire has burned 395 hectares with a 15-kilometer perimeter. (corroborated by 5 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-08: Wildfires in Spain force mass evacuations in Huelva and Castellón Wildfires in Spain's Castellón and Huelva provinces have forced hundreds of evacuations, with the Niebla fire exceeding 8,000 hectares and the Tírig fire impacting Catí. 55 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/castelln-province-battles-three-simultaneous-forest-fires ### 2026-08-07: Juanfran Pérez Llorca coordinates response to Castellón forest fires Juanfran Pérez Llorca led a CECOPI meeting to coordinate emergency response to forest fires in Sierra Engarcerán, Culla and Tirig, Castellón, thanking crews and local authorities. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/juanfran-prez-llorca-coordinates-response-to-castelln-forest-fires --- Cite as: Castellón province forest fire response. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/castelln-province-forest-fire-response