The Galician regional government lifted the operational alert level Situación 2 for the wildfire in the Concello of Quiroga (province of Lugo). This level had previously been activated as a precaution because the flames were in the immediate vicinity of three inhabited areas – Casal de Vello, As Barxas and Peñarrubia –. According to the Consellería do Medio Rural the fire has been developing “favourably” towards stabilisation since late Tuesday, meaning that these places are no longer at immediate risk.
The fire broke out on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, at around 15:25 in the parroquia of Pacios da Serra According to the authorities, the initial estimate of the area affected currently stands at around 360 hectares. Extensive personnel and resources were deployed to fight the fire: ten technicians, 42 fire prevention agents, 52 fire brigades, 37 water tenders, eight bulldozers, two technical support teams, as well as twelve helicopters and twelve firefighting aircraft. The Consellería also stressed that lifting Situación 2 does not mean the fire is fully under control or finally extinguished; work will continue until it is stably contained and mopping-up operations are complete.
The authorities refer people to the emergency number 085 and the ALume app as channels for information and reporting; the app provides wildfire alerts and updates in Galicia. No specific reports of damage to buildings or disruption to infrastructure had been received by the time the alert level was deactivated; priority had been given to securing the named settlements and surrounding woodland.
The affected area lies on the edge of the Serra do Courel, a mountainous area with recurring wildfire risk in summer and early autumn. In the first few hours, regional media reported that the fire was spreading rapidly in windy conditions, justifying the precautionary activation of Situación 2 on Wednesday. With the more favourable developments now reported, the immediate danger to Casal de Vello, As Barxas and Peñarrubia has decreased. The final burned-area total remains unknown, as does whether embers could flare up again after rainfall or if winds strengthen – a risk the incident command is taking into account in its situation assessments.
The facts and timings are based on statements from the Xunta de Galicia and the Consellería do Medio Rural; the date of the fire’s outbreak (15 September) and the deactivation of Situación 2 (16 September) have been officially confirmed. The authorities have issued no forecasts on how the situation will develop, so this remains uncertain.
Editor: Andreas M. Brucker (Article created with AI assistance).