Orihuela, April 15, 2026 — A nighttime wildfire that broke out in the Sierra de Orihuela has been brought under control within hours, with no injuries reported, according to local authorities.
The blaze erupted late Tuesday night near the Cruz de la Muela area, close to the Montepinar residential development, raising concern among residents. However, a rapid response from emergency services prevented the situation from escalating.
Fire crews from the Consorcio Provincial de Bomberos de Alicante were deployed immediately after the alert was received at 10:17 p.m. Teams from Orihuela and Almoradí were joined by forest firefighters, Local Police, National Police, and Civil Protection units in a coordinated operation.
Despite difficult conditions, including darkness and challenging terrain, ground crews managed to bring the fire under control by around 1:30 a.m. Aerial resources, unable to operate overnight, were deployed the following morning to reinforce containment and carry out monitoring and cooling tasks.
Preliminary investigations suggest the fire may have been caused by a lightning strike recorded days earlier, which could have remained dormant before igniting. The exact cause remains under investigation.
Víctor Valverde, councillor for Civil Protection and Emergencies, travelled to the scene from La Murada, where he had been attending a procession, and remained in constant contact with the mayor, Pepe Vegara, as the situation developed.
Authorities praised the professionalism and coordination of all emergency teams involved, as well as the cooperation of local residents, whose knowledge of the area helped improve access and response times in the difficult terrain.
Officials have reassured the public that the fire is fully under control and the situation poses no ongoing risk.
