A significant forest fire has broken out in a protected stretch of land in southern Spain.
Fire crews were battling the flames overnight between Cabo Tiñoso and the Sierra de la Muela in Murcia.
The inferno took hold in an area of high ecological value near Cartagena, sparking a major emergency response.
The Nuestro Mar Menor ecological group said in a post on X: ‘Pain, pain, pain, pain, pain,..
‘I can’t believe that in winter and after nearly a month of rain, we’re seeing an incredible Regional Park like Cabo Tiñoso -La Muela-Monte Roldan and all the towns and people of Cartagena Oeste burning.’
The advancing flames, visible from the coast, prompted authorities to order the evacuation of several homes in the rural village of Campillo de Adentro ‘which were threatened by the fire’, reports local newspaper La Verdad.
They were also concerned about several people who intended to spend the night in a cave near the sea.
The Sierra de la Muela, Cabo Tiñoso, and Monte Roldán mountain range is a natural area frequented year-round by hikers and walkers.
Forest brigades, firefighters, Local Police, the Guardia Civil and Civil Protection teams are all on the ground, working to contain the flames and stop the spread.
The rugged terrain and poor access are making the initial operation especially difficult. Steep slopes and remote tracks are slowing efforts to get heavy equipment into position.
Complicating the operation is the fact that strong gusts are sweeping across the area, and emergency crews say the direction of the winds will be crucial.
A sea breeze blowing inland could drive the fire deeper into hard-to-reach zones, making it far tougher to tackle.
If the wind turns and blows from land out to sea, firefighters may gain the upper hand along the first containment lines.
Authorities are urging the public to stay away and exercise extreme caution, stressing that this is one of the most environmentally sensitive areas along the Cartagena coastline.
