The Castellón fire: the Serra d'Espadà burning behind the Costa del Azahar

What happened

A fire that started on the morning of 25 July near La Vall d'Uixó — officials say it does not appear to have natural causes — has burned around 8,500 hectares of the Serra d'Espadà natural park, inland from the Castellón coast, as of 28 July. More than 16,000 people were evacuated at the peak and tens of thousands more were confined indoors because of smoke, including in La Vall d'Uixó, Betxí and Onda. Firefighters have faced an extra hazard: old ordnance from the Spanish Civil War exploding as flames reach it, according to the fire chief. By 28 July the fire's advance had slowed considerably; evacuation orders were lifted for four neighbourhoods of La Vall d'Uixó and residents of La Vilavella were allowed to return — though La Vilavella remains under a confinement order because of smoke, with tap water restricted.

What it means if you're travelling

The Castellón coast itself (Castellón city, Benicàssim, Peñíscola) is not in the fire zone, but smoke can reach coastal towns when the wind turns. Do not drive into the Serra d'Espadà park area inland between Onda and the Palancia valley — even where evacuation orders have lifted, crews are still working and local roads can close without notice. Check DGT road status before any driving day and follow 112 Comunitat Valenciana alerts, not social media.

The live picture

Official sources for this event