Residents have been evacuated from two housing developments after fast-moving wildfires broke out in Murcia on Thursday.

The flames took hold between Fuente Alamo and Mazarron, with walls of fire visible from the homes of British expats.

People living in Camposol Sector A and El Saladillo have been ordered to leave their homes as a precaution while firefighters battle the advancing flames.

The fires, fuelled by strong winds, prompted the activation of Murcia’s Infomur emergency plan and have threatened several nearby residential areas.

The main blaze is burning in La Pinilla, a rural area between Fuente Alamo and the coast, while another fire broke out close to the Camposol urbanisation.

Huge columns of black smoke could be seen from kilometres away, prompting numerous calls to the emergency services.

Witnesses said the flames were advancing towards Camposol Sector A, El Saladillo and Country Club, while residents reported seeing what appeared to be two or even three separate ignition points. Authorities are treating them as separate fires.

The blazes are burning through pine woodland and scrubland, with strong winds making firefighting operations particularly challenging.

A large emergency response remains in place, involving the Guardia Civil, Local Police, environmental officers, forestry brigades and firefighters from the Murcia Fire and Rescue Consortium.

Four firefighting helicopters have been tackling the blaze from the air, while Murcia regional president Fernando Lopez Miras has requested additional support from the Spanish government.

Government delegate Francisco Lucas later confirmed that a Ministry for Ecological Transition (MITECO) helicopter had already joined the operation.

According to Murcia’s 112 emergency service, forestry crews from Cartagena, Mazarron, Lorca, Zarcilla, Totana, Alhama de Murcia and Murcia are all working to contain the fires.

Authorities have also closed the RM-E19 and RM-E17 roads in both directions, while damage to a high-voltage power line has raised the possibility of electricity outages in the area.

Residents in La Pinilla, Los Canovas, Campillo and Las Palas have been urged to remain indoors, keep windows and shutters closed, avoid travelling to the affected area and follow all instructions from emergency services.

The latest wildfire comes just days after another blaze sparked by a lightning strike in nearby El Alamillo, where evacuations were also considered.

It also follows the devastating wildfire in Los Gallardos, Almeria, earlier this month, which claimed 13 lives and has left emergency services across southern Spain on high alert as extreme heat, strong winds and tinder-dry vegetation continue to create dangerous wildfire conditions.

One Spanish Eye reader shared a photo taken from his terrace showing walls of flames snaking through the hills of Mazarron.