A wildfire that broke out on 25 July 2026 in the vegetation zones of La Vall d’Uixò, Castellón, spread into forested areas and prompted the preventive evacuation of a nearby residential development. The Consorcio Provincial de Bomberos de Castellón said the fire continued to advance. Terrain and prevailing conditions complicated containment efforts.
Seven aerial units, including three helicopters and two airplanes, operated alongside extensive ground resources. Six teams from the Consorcio de Castellón and 14 forest firefighting units from the Generalitat were on the ground; two of the latter arrived by helicopter. Crews also deployed a heavy-duty water tanker with a 35,000-litre capacity, a command unit, three forest coordinators, a forestry technician and a leadership team from the provincial fire service. The Generalitat provided an ambulance. The Castelló de la Plana fire department sent a light vehicle and a heavy water tanker, along with a chief officer and two firefighters. Local police and a Guardia Civil patrol helped with the evacuation and safety operations.
The Centro de Coordinación de Emergencias activated Situation 1 of the Plan Especial de Incendios Forestales (PEIF). This response level applies when a wildfire seriously threatens forest assets or poses a limited risk to people or non-forest property. The initial response brought together aerial crews and Generalitat forest units, with support from provincial firefighters, police and Guardia Civil personnel. Officials evacuated the residential development as a precaution while the fire advanced toward forested and residential areas.
The fire ultimately affected numerous municipalities around the Serra d’Espadà and led to the evacuation of approximately 16,000 people across 18 municipalities, information from a later RTVE account. It burned an estimated 9,568 to 9,600 hectares, making it one of the most destructive fires in the Valencian Community in the previous decade. About 3,688 hectares burned within the Parque Natural de la Sierra de Espadán, roughly 12% of the park’s area.
Investigators later concluded that authorities considered the fire intentional. Nearly three months after it began, the person responsible had not been identified, RTVE reported. The broadcaster also described how investigators establish the origin of a wildfire.
The fire damaged protected habitats and wildlife nesting sites, as well as infrastructure. In October, Generalitat environmental officers reconstructed two nests of the endangered Bonelli’s eagle after the fire destroyed them. The Grupo de Intervención en Altura de agentes medioambientales carried out the work in coordination with the Servicio de Vida Silvestre y Red Natura 2000.
A €4.2 million recovery program funds forest restoration and road repairs, alongside infrastructure recovery and safety improvements in burned areas. The work includes repairs on the CV-219 and CV-223. The program reflects the fire’s continuing effects months after the emergency response began.
Wildfires regularly challenge Spain’s Mediterranean regions, particularly during periods of high temperatures and dry conditions. Recent fires have caused impressive disruption and evacuations. A major blaze in Madrid, for example, forced thousands to leave their homes. Details are available in this report on the mass evacuations during Madrid’s severe wildfire crisis.
Spain’s wildfire management protocols, including the PEIF, coordinate multi-agency responses to reduce risks to people and property. The La Vall d’Uixò fire showed how quickly an incident initially treated as a localized threat can grow into a regional emergency, triggering extensive evacuations and long-term ecological recovery. Infrastructure repairs are also part of the work ahead.
