Aragón fights two wildfires as Leciñena blaze grows past 3,000 hectares and La Fueva stabilizes

Leciñena fire still spreading

The wildfire that started on Tuesday afternoon in the municipality of Leciñena (Zaragoza) remains out of control, having burned between 2,800 and 3,200 hectares, roughly 80 percent of which is forested land. Authorities describe the situation as dangerous and evolving, with the main concern shifting to the fire’s tail, which is reigniting already scorched ground during the hottest hours. Ángel Gari, the fire’s extinction director, said that the combination of intense heat and wind was creating problems:

“It rekindles in burned areas and creates problems for us.”

The firefighting operation has concentrated on protecting the A-129 road and preventing the flames from reaching the nearby sierra. President of Aragón Jorge Azcón visited the forward command post on Thursday and confirmed that while no rural population centres are currently threatened, the fire is still not contained.

“The fire is not under control, but the different crews are perimetrating to prevent it from spreading. Depending on the weather, especially the wind, the outlook could become much more favourable or we could be extraordinarily worried again.”

La Fueva stabilized, evacuees return

The second fire, in Morillo de Monclús (La Fueva, Huesca), was declared stabilized late Thursday afternoon after burning approximately 40 hectares. It began as an agricultural incident and spread quickly into forest terrain. Some 30 residents who had been evacuated to Tierrantona were allowed to return home, and the military emergency unit (UME) was withdrawn. Regional minister Roberto Bermúdez de Castro described the operation as extremely difficult but noted that better weather conditions helped crews secure the perimeter.

“There was incredibly important work by the Infoar brigades and the UME. Given where it was located, it worried us enormously, but after today’s efforts and improved weather, it is now stabilized.”

Massive firefighting deployment

More than 300 personnel are working on the Leciñena fire alone, supported by aerial resources from Navarre, Catalonia, Castilla-La Mancha, Madrid and the Ministry for Ecological Transition. The overnight drop in wind and rise in relative humidity (close to 80 percent) allowed ground crews to make progress on sectors 2 and 3 of the perimeter. For La Fueva, the aerial fleet includes amphibious aircraft and observation planes, while patrols will continue monitoring hotspots during the night with thermal cameras.

Heatwave race against time

Both fires have been placed at operational level 2 by the regional coordination centre (CECOPI). Authorities are pushing to bring the Leciñena fire under control before Sunday, as forecasts predict a new heatwave arriving on Monday. The deputy president, Alejandro Nolasco, said significant progress was being made but stressed that the afternoon hours remained critical. The regional government is urging residents to follow official instructions and remain cautious.