Authorities in Castellón ordered the evacuation of Azuébar after a wildfire that began near Soneja advanced toward the town’s urban perimeter. Shifting winds pushed the fire toward the populated area, prompting officials to prioritize public safety as flames approached homes.
On Sunday, the response included eight aircraft, four helicopters and four fixed-wing planes, alongside eight Generalitat forest-firefighting crews, three transported by helicopter. Two forest coordinators and a technical specialist from the Diputación de Castellón fire service also joined the operation, along with a 35,000-liter water tanker. A Puesto de Mando Avanzado (PMA), or Advanced Command Post, coordinated aerial and ground resources with local authorities.
Residents were initially told to remain indoors because of heavy smoke. As the fire approached the town, authorities ordered an evacuation and began moving residents to the multipurpose hall in Soneja. Azuébar Mayor Jessica Miravete reported that no injuries had been recorded at the time of her update. Officials were assessing the condition of isolated homes on the outskirts.
The fire near Soneja was one of two wildfires affecting emergency operations in Castellón province, alongside a separate blaze near Castellfort. In Azuébar, the fire was burning on the slope closest to the town’s center, while shifting winds complicated coordination between aircraft and ground crews.
The incident came amid other wildfire emergencies in Spain’s eastern regions. In Catalonia, a separate blaze prompted lockdowns in several municipalities, as detailed in this report on the wildfire response in La Bisbal d'Empordà.
The immediate priority in Azuébar was evacuating residents and protecting homes near the fire’s path. Miravete reported no injuries, while firefighting teams continued their response.
