The Minister of Presidency, Health and Emergencies, Antonio Sanz, has activated the emergency phase, operational situation 1, due to the evolution of the forest fire declared this Monday in the Doña María area, in the municipality of Las Tres Villas, Almería. The fire has resulted in the confinement of eight people and the precautionary evacuation of ten others.
The confinement affects residents of the towns of Gilma and Los Sanchos, while approximately ten people have been precautionary evacuated from the scattered settlements of Los Gatos, Piedras Blancas, La Estación, and Los García. Citizens in the area have been asked to keep doors and windows closed and to follow the instructions of emergency personnel.
Twelve aerial resources have been deployed to the site, including seven helicopters and four ground-load aircraft, which will withdraw after sunset. On the ground, the operation has been reinforced with 66 forest firefighters, four reinforcement brigades, operations and extinction technicians, an environmental agent, fire engines, and a bulldozer.
The fire's evolution has also caused a railway disruption, interrupting traffic on the Almería-Linares-Baeza line. Circulation was halted between Abla and Abrucena, and between Doña María and Ocaña, affecting two trains. An Intercity service bound for Madrid had to turn back, and a Media Distancia train between Granada and Huércal de Almería was cancelled, with alternative road transport arranged.
