Lorraine Williamson
Spanish emergency crews are battling a rapidly developing forest fire in Ourense after authorities raised the emergency level because flames were approaching villages. The blaze, which began in Calvos de Randín on Thursday afternoon, had burned more than 140 hectares by early evening and remained uncontrolled, with the Xunta declaring Situación 2 as a preventative measure because of its proximity to As Meaus in neighbouring Baltar.
The fire began at 1.36 pm in the parish of Randín and expanded sharply during the afternoon. Earlier estimates put the affected area at little more than 20 hectares, illustrating how quickly conditions changed as the blaze moved through the countryside.
Residents had not been evacuated by early evening, according to the Guardia Civil, while the mayor of Baltar said there was some reassurance because of the large firefighting deployment and the direction of the wind. However, he warned that the fire was moving through mountainous terrain that is extremely difficult to access and was threatening villages in the area.
Aircraft and ground crews tackle the blaze
A substantial aerial operation was deployed as crews tried to contain the fire before nightfall. The Xunta reported eight helicopters and nine aircraft working alongside ground teams, while the Ministry for Ecological Transition sent an additional five aircraft and two specialist brigades to support the regional response.
Earlier in the afternoon, the firefighting operation had included nine brigades, four fire engines, technical support units, heavy machinery, environmental agents and specialist personnel. The rapid reinforcement reflected the speed at which the fire increased in size during the day.
Authorities initially confirmed that the flames were moving away from the Baixa Limia-Serra do Xurés natural park. The principal concern later shifted towards the villages around Baltar as the fire approached populated areas.
Firefighters continued tackling the blaze into Thursday night. BRIF Laza reported that its standby team had been deployed to Calvos de Randín for what it described as the unit’s 57th intervention of the wildfire campaign, with a team of 18 forest firefighters working on the fire.
Galicia extends high wildfire-risk period
Thursday’s fire comes as the Xunta has taken the unusual step of extending Galicia’s official high wildfire-risk period until 15 October.
The high-risk season would normally have ended on 30 September, but the Consellería do Medio Rural said current weather conditions justified keeping the heightened alert in place for another two weeks. The regional government said its firefighting operation would remain fully prepared during the extended period.
Calvos de Randín was itself rated at high wildfire risk on Thursday under Galicia’s daily forest-fire risk index. The index takes account of conditions affecting both the potential intensity of a fire and how difficult it may be to extinguish.
The wildfire remains active, and authorities continue to monitor the communities closest to the flames. With aerial operations becoming more limited after dark, ground crews are expected to continue working overnight.
This is a developing story and will be updated if authorities announce evacuations, a major increase in the affected area, or a change in the fire’s status.