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Smoke fills skies over San Javier as twin fires break out along the AP-7
Firefighters scrambled to tackle blazes on both sides of the motorway near Los Sáez and El Mirador
Drivers along the AP-7 motorway got quite a fright on Wednesday afternoon, July 8, when two separate fires broke out within minutes of each other, sending thick plumes of smoke over San Javier and San Pedro del Pinatar that were visible for miles around.
The Region of Murcia's 112 Emergency Coordination Centre received more than a hundred calls just before 5pm, all reporting a fire next to the AP-7 as it runs through San Javier, between kilometres 778 and 779, close to the Los Sáez and El Mirador exits.
The blaze started next to the road, where a single tree had caught fire. It didn't stay contained for long, though, and the flames soon jumped to other trees and a nearby plot planted with palms, throwing up a huge column of smoke that could be seen from several points across the area.
Crews from the Region of Murcia Fire and Rescue Consortium were sent to tackle it, along with firefighters from Cartagena City Council and a helicopter from the General Directorate of Citizen Security and Emergencies. San Javier's Local Police and Civil Protection teams were also on the scene helping to manage the situation.
At almost exactly the same time, a second fire broke out further along the AP-7, this time near the exit towards San Pedro del Pinatar, catching hold of scrub vegetation along the motorway's shoulder.
Firefighters from the Pilar de la Horadada station took charge of that blaze and called in extra support from Alicante Provincial Council, while San Pedro del Pinatar's local police kept watch over the area.
Spain has already seen 50,384 hectares go up in flames between January 1 and July 1 this year, accounting for nearly 40% of everything burned across the entire European Union in that period.
The EU's total stands at 126,328 hectares, which is 1.4 times higher than at the same stage last year. Spain has also recorded more individual wildfires than any other EU country so far in 2026, with 300 blazes reported against France's 275.
Images: 112 Region de Murcia
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