After a meeting of the CECOPI in Gátova on 5 November 2026, Diana Morant, Minister for Science, Innovation and Universities and secretary-general of the PSPV-PSOE, called on 22 August 2026 for a “major pact” to strengthen public emergency and rescue services. In the face of more extreme weather due to climate change, capacity and equipment must be increased “without cuts”, Morant said after the briefing on the wildfire near Segorbe.
The fire near Segorbe, in the province of Castellón remained active on Saturday. By midday, around 633 hectares had been affected and the perimeter was approximately 15 kilometres, according to consistent official situation reports and press accounts. Parts of the fire are spreading into the natural area of the Sierra Calderona As a precaution, Gátova (Valencia) was evacuated; current estimates put the number of people affected at around one thousand. The Generalitat Valenciana has reminded the Plan Especial de Incendios Forestales was activated at level 2 and support was requested from the Unidad Militar de Emergencias . The incident command's aim is to prevent the fire spreading towards built-up areas and to protect sensitive areas of the natural park.
Firefighting is being carried out on the ground and from the air; around 25 aircraft were in operation at times. The government's delegate in the region, Pilar Bernabé, and senior official Juan Carlos Valderrama, responsible for interior and emergency matters, urged the public to follow closures and safety instructions strictly. The weather service forecast strengthening winds in the afternoon, with strong gusts that could hamper efforts to fight the fire. The authorities initially gave no definitive information about the possible cause; investigations are under way.
Morant's proposal aims to establish structured dialogue with emergency responders to identify and address shortcomings in training, staffing, equipment and coordination. While the call may be politically contentious, it is undisputed that more frequent and intense heatwaves and prolonged dry spells increase wildfire risk and extend response times. Current information on the fire may change at short notice because of the rapidly evolving situation; the incident command is continually updating decisions, affected areas and damage reports.
Editor: Andreas M. Brucker (Article created with AI assistance).