A serious fire in Las Hurdes forces the evacuation of more than 600 residents and mobilizes the UME

A serious forest fire declared this Tuesday in Pinofranqueado, in the Cáceres region of Las Hurdes, has forced the preventive evacuation of around 600 residents from eight hamlets and the mobilization of the Military Emergency Unit (UME). The Junta de Extremadura has raised the emergency to operational situation 2 due to the advance of the flames and the risk to several inhabited areas.

The fire started around 2:50 p.m. near Robledo. Just four minutes later it reached level 1 of the Infoex Plan and, at 4:30 p.m., it moved to level 2 of danger. The evolution of the emergency subsequently led to the activation of operational situation 2 of the Infocaex Plan, which reinforces population protection and coordination between administrations.

The latest balance released by 'Canal Extremadura' confirms the evacuation of Horcajo, Avellanar, Erías, Castillo, Robledo, El Gasco, Martilandrán and La Fragosa. These are eight hamlets, small population centers characteristic of Las Hurdes. Their residents are being transferred to the Caminomorisco student residence, set up to accommodate them while the emergency continues.

The UME enters the operation

A total of 134 personnel are working on the ground. The deployment brings together nine ground forest fire units, eight helitransported teams, four heavy machinery units, two environmental agents, and five extinction technicians. From the air, 11 helicopters and six amphibious planes are operating.

Personnel from the First Emergency Intervention Battalion of the UME have left their base in Torrejón de Ardoz to join the extinction efforts, as communicated by the unit itself. The deployment is joined by resources from the Ministry for Ecological Transition, the fire department of the Diputación de Cáceres, the Civil Guard, and the Infocyl operation of Castilla y León.

The emergency management has installed an Advanced Command Post at the base of the Forest Fire Reinforcement Brigade of Pinofranqueado. From there, the fight against the fire, the protection of threatened populations, and the transfer of residents are coordinated.

Authorities ask the population to follow only official instructions, keep roads and paths used by emergency teams clear, and avoid the use of drones, which forces aerial means to stop and endangers their crews.