MONTIXELVO – An uncontrolled forest fire has been raging in the Montixelvo region of Valencia since Thursday, and has now destroyed almost 2,000 hectares of nature. This is reported by the emergency services of the Generalitat Valenciana.
Several preventive evacuations have been carried out in the villages surrounding the affected area. Around 850 people were evacuated. According to emergency services, the night was “complicated”. Carlos Mazón, the president of the Generalitat, visited the Advanced Command Post (PMA) early this morning. He is there to closely monitor the progress of the firefighting efforts. Moreover, the cause of the fire is currently unknown.
The Valencian minister of Justice and Interior, Elisa Núñez, has indicated that the Ministry has requested the incorporation of the Military Emergency Unit (UME) into the fire extinguishing work, and has confirmed that they will be in the area by late afternoon.
Stormy night due to strong wind
During the night the valley between L’Orxa and Vilallonga was evacuated and in the early morning, the fire focused on the right flank, on the Alt de la Creu. All this takes place within the context of the orange weather alert declared due to gusty winds in the southern interior of Valencia and the extreme risk of fires due to prolonged drought.
Creo que estos dos vídeos que circulan por WhatsApp os pueden dar una idea de las condiciones al inicio del incendio de #IFMontixelvo
Son del municipio de Terrateig, que ha tenido que ser evacuado, junto con otros muchos.
Mucha fuerza a todos los vecinos y al operativo. pic.twitter.com/tFJSbxyGjz— Mario (@Mario_72) November 2, 2023
Mobilisation of fire fighting units
The same units were deployed for the firefighting on Friday as on Thursday. On Friday morning the ground troops from Murcia and Castilla-La Mancha were added. In total, there are nine units of the Generalitat forest fire brigade, six fire engines, and three forest coordinators at work. Furthermore, five units of the fire brigade, six brigades of the Provincial Consortium of Valencia and three units of the fire brigade of the Alicante Consortium. There are also security and medical staff, members of the Military Emergency Response Unit (UME), and volunteers.
Evacuations in full swing
A residence in Ador and another in Vilallonga have been evacuated. The same goes for the residential areas of Tarrasó, La Corona, and La Esclapisà in Vilallonga and Castellonet de la Conquesta. Furthermore, in Ador, the residential areas of La Ermita, Monte Corona, and La Llacuna were evacuated.
Precautions and safety
Residents in the affected areas are advised to remain vigilant and follow the instructions of authorities. The situation is continuously being monitored. Therefore, more evacuations may follow if necessary. Consequently, the fire brigade calls for caution and emphasises the importance of avoiding risk areas.
#IFMontixelvo pic.twitter.com/yrIZlKhAEi
— juanjo (@joanotjosep) November 2, 2023
Emergency services are on alert
The UME and local fire brigade continue to work hard to get the rapidly spreading Montixelvo fire under control. The authorities ask the public to give emergency services space and keep roads clear for emergencies. For the most up-to-date information, people can visit the Generalitat Valenciana website and the social media channels of the emergency services.
Las fuertes rachas de viento están dificultando la extinción del #incendio en Montitxelvo (Valencia), que supera la 2.000 las hectáreas.
Hemos evacuado 950 personas en diversos municipios. pic.twitter.com/GlwxCORh8G
— Guardia Civil (@guardiacivil) November 3, 2023
