Igualeja fire stabilised and lockdown for local residents lifted

The fire, which forced the Andalusian regional government to activate the emergency phase (Operational Situation 1), also led to the evacuation of two roadside restaurants and a petrol station in the area.

The regional government’s minister for health and emergencies, Antonio Sanz, announced shortly after 8pm that the fire had been stabilised and that residents of the village, as well as those from Parauta and the other eleven people who had been evacuated as a precautionary measure, were permitted to return to their homes. Furthermore, the minister noted that only the restrictions on the A-397 would remain in place overnight.

As the day progressed and the fire developed, the number of personnel deployed increased, reaching a total of 170 forest firefighters and 22 aerial resources.

Igualeja has remained under lockdown as a precautionary measure following a particularly difficult night due to the wind. The authorities asked residents to stay in their homes, keep doors and windows closed to prevent smoke from entering, and avoid any non-essential travel.

In the early hours of the morning, a house in which three people were staying was also evacuated as a precautionary measure. The fire broke out at 10.19pm on Saturday near the Mirador de Igualeja viewpoint, prompting the immediate mobilisation of personnel from the Infoca Plan. The operation was progressively reinforced as the night wore on and the conditions of the fire changed.

The weather has been one of the main obstacles to the work. A preliminary analysis carried out overnight by the Technical Fire Analysis Unit (UTAF) indicated sustained winds of between 30 and 35 kilometres per hour and gusts reaching between 50 and 60 kilometres per hour. The wind kept both Igualeja and neighbouring municipalities on alert in the early hours of the morning due to the possibility of changes in the direction of the flames.

The deployment carried out this Sunday gives an idea of the scale of the operation. In addition to the 170 forest firefighters, twelve operations technicians, two firefighting technicians, the director of the provincial operations centre, a meteorology and forest fire team and two environmental officers have been working on the ground. Also on the ground are six fire engines, a mobile meteorology and communications unit, a technical office module, a forest fire medical unit, a forest fire command team and an emergency systems unit.

In addition to these, there was a significant air firefighting operation comprising 22 aircraft: two light helicopters, seven medium helicopters, three heavy helicopters and one command helicopter; two ground-based cargo aircraft and one coordination aircraft; as well as four light amphibious aircraft and a further two heavy amphibious aircraft.

The emergency services insist that no one should approach the area of the fire and stress the need to keep the roads clear to facilitate the movement of vehicles and firefighting equipment.