Between Friday night and early Saturday, two forest fires broke out within a short distance of each other in the region around Biar, Castalla, and Onil. According to the Provincial Firefighters Consortium, warnings for both blazes were issued at 21:00. One fire was brought under control about an hour later, while the second blaze was extinguished in the early hours of the morning. The incidents occurred in a rural landscape where pine stands and scrubland provide fuel for rapid spread, making every minute critical for protecting nearby communities and green spaces.
The first fire was reported along the coastal-inland belt near the port area of Biar, extending toward Foia de Castalla close to the CV-799 highway at the 11th kilometer mark. This location sits near the municipal boundary separating Biar and Onil. A command headquarters unit was dispatched along with two heavy firefighting pumps and a heavy forestry pump. The response team included a sergeant, a corporal, and nine firefighters drawn from the Cocentaina and Villena parks. Given the initial assessment that the affected area did not appear to be expanding, crews proceeded with a brisk containment operation. The objective was to secure the perimeter and prevent spread toward residential zones and agricultural parcels. By about 22:00, officials indicated that this fire could be considered contained, allowing the units to scale down their operations and monitor for any re-ignition risk overnight.
The second fire occurred roughly two kilometers south of the first, near the 10th kilometer marker along the CV-80 highway. This area sits within Castalla’s municipal perimeter but remains close to the borders with Biar and Onil. The simultaneity of the two blazes necessitated an intensified mobilization, drawing fire crews from four different parks in addition to the Generalitat’s forest firefighting resources. Teams were reinforced by additional equipment, including a light pump, two heavy rural pumps, and a pump manned by a petty officer and a sergeant, along with two corporals and ten firefighters from the Ibi and Elda parks. The coordination of this larger operation underscores the challenge of managing parallel incidents in close proximity, requiring meticulous logistics and clear command channels to deploy resources where they were most needed and to maintain safety across the involved districts.
Both fires threatened local pine forests and the rural landscapes interspersed with farms and small plots. The second fire, in particular, affected an area of roughly 1000 square meters before firefighters succeeded in bringing it under control. The operation concluded around 13:31 a.m., with no injuries reported among residents or responders. While the flames remained a concern for areas near the trio of towns—Biar, Castalla, and Onil—the immediate risk to city centers was avoided due to rapid and coordinated action. Fire officials emphasized the importance of swift reporting, coordinated cross-town assistance, and continued vigilance during the night as meteorological conditions and wind shifts could still influence any potential flare-ups in the affected zones. The incidents served as a reminder of the ongoing necessity to protect vulnerable natural habitats while safeguarding nearby communities against fire threats that can escalate quickly when weather is dry and winds are favorable to spread.