Emergency Response Mobilized as Forest Fires Rage in Ávila and Cáceres

The Military Emergency Unit (UME) has deployed multiple intervention teams to tackle a forest fire that erupted on Friday in San Bartolomé de Pinares, Ávila. Classified at a danger level of 2, this wildfire has resulted in the suspension of rail traffic between Ávila and Madrid. The fire began at 14:45 in this small municipality, home to just over 500 residents, and has quickly spread towards neighboring areas, prompting the Railway Infrastructure Administrator (Adif) to halt railways between Santa María de la Alameda and Las Navas del Marqués due to the flames' proximity to the tracks. In response to the escalating situation, the Junta of Castile and León declared the Potential Severity Index Level 2 (IGR2) just an hour and a half after the fire broke out. This emergency classification enables the mobilization of state resources, leading to the activation of UME units. Personnel from the First Emergency Intervention Battalion in Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, and the Fifth Battalion in León have been dispatched to join the nearly 50 ground and aerial resources already deployed in the area. Efforts to combat the blaze currently engage 11 aerial resources, 11 fire trucks, 8 helitack brigades (BRIF), 7 ground crews, 5 environmental agents, 2 technicians, and a bulldozer working tirelessly to extinguish the flames. The fire in San Bartolomé de Pinares emerges while another fire that broke out on July 28 in Barranco de las Cinco Villas in Ávila continues to burn, having consumed around 2,200 hectares. The cause of the newly ignited fire is still under investigation, and authorities are closely monitoring its impact on surrounding infrastructures and residential areas. Meanwhile, in Aldea del Cano, Cáceres, fifty homes have been evacuated due to another forest fire. The Forestry Fire Fighting Plan (Infoex) has activated a level 1 danger alert in Aldea del Cano, initially attributed to Torrequemada, due to its threats to isolated residences and roadways, leading to the urgent evacuation of approximately fifty homes in a residential development. To ensure public safety, Civil Guard agents have been deployed in the vicinity, executing evacuation protocols as per the Unified Command measures. In an area known as Las Albarranas within the La Zafra development, it is estimated that between 40 to 50 homes are at risk. Currently, six units of forest firefighters, five aerial resources, one heavy machinery team, one natural environment agent, and one technician are engaged in firefighting efforts in this region. Stay informed with El Huffpost and follow all updates on the wildfire situation through our mobile app, available for both Android and iOS. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2