Valencia wildfire burns 31 hectares in El Saler, forcing 161 evacuations

Fire breakout and emergency response

On Thursday, 27 August 2026, at approximately 13:00, a forest fire ignited in the Gola de Pujol sector within the Devesa de El Saler, part of the Albufera Natural Park in Valencia. Initial suppression efforts faced difficulty later in the afternoon when a sudden shift in wind direction altered the fire's behavior. At 16:48, regional emergency officials escalated the response from situation 1 to situation 2 under the Special Plan for Forest Fires (PEIF). This change allowed authorities to request the deployment of the third battalion of the Military Emergencies Unit (UME) to support municipal firefighters. At 17:20, the Generalitat Valenciana issued an Es-Alert mobile notification instructing residents and visitors in the area to evacuate immediately.

Evacuations and emergency shelter

The evacuation order encompassed the El Saler village district, Torre 1 near Gola de Pujol, and two nearby campsites. In total, 161 people were displaced by the fire. Evacuees were transported in private vehicles or on municipal EMT buses arranged by the Valencia City Council to the Fonteta sports pavilion and the adjacent l'Alqueria del Basket. At the Fonteta arena, the Red Cross set up emergency reception facilities, distributing evening meals, hygiene kits, and basic medical care. Civil Guard patrols secured the perimeter of the evacuated village overnight to guard vacant residences while families stayed at the shelter. Officials confirmed that the fire did not reach any residential homes during the night.

Extinction efforts and weather conditions

Firefighting operations involved approximately 250 personnel, drawing on Valencia municipal firefighters, provincial consortium crews, BRIFO brigades, the UME, Civil Guard, Generalitat Police, local police forces, and Civil Protection units. Before dusk grounded aerial operations, 12 water-dropping aircraft operated over the sector. Ground crews continued battling active flames throughout the night under westerly winds gusting between 20 and 30 kilometres per hour, before winds dropped below 20 kilometres per hour early Friday morning. Authorities maintained traffic closures along the CV-500 and CV-401 roads, as well as the coastal stretch between the former sports complex and the Sidi Saler hotel.

We are now at approximately 70-80 percent humidity, but it is believed we will drop to 30 percent tonight with westerly winds.

Surface damage and cause inquiry

Emergency authorities initially estimated the affected area at 48 hectares on Thursday afternoon, before regional Emergency Councillor Juan Carlos Valderrama revised the burned surface to 31.38 hectares with a fire perimeter of 4.2 kilometres following a meeting of the Integrated Operational Coordination Centre (CECOPI). The Seprona environmental unit of the Civil Guard initiated inquiries into the cause of the fire, with plans to access the burned area once firefighting operations allow. Valencia Mayor María José Catalá pledged a full municipal investigation and confirmed that technical teams are preparing a reforestation plan to rehabilitate the affected nature reserve.

As mayor I must say that the City Council will go to the very last corner to find out what the cause of the fire was.