The General Directorate of Civil Protection and Emergencies of Spain has requested the Ministry of Defense to activate the Military Emergency Unit (UME) to intervene in the forest fire that since last Wednesday affects Sierra Bermeja, in four municipalities of Malaga: Jubrique , Genalguacil, Estepona and Benahavís.
The activation of the UME involves the autonomous authorities of Civil Protection and the ministries of the Interior and Defense, as reported by the General Directorate of Civil Protection in a message on its Twitter account, picked up by Europa Press.
Last Thursday night, the presidents of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, and of the Junta de Andalucía, Juanma Moreno, precisely held a telephone conversation about the state of the fire in Sierra Bermeja and agreed to the deployment of the Emergency Military Unit (UME ) at the time that the technical services that run the device deem it necessary.
During this morning, the operational direction of the Infoca Plan has decreed the preventive eviction of the Malaga municipality of Jubrique.
As reported by Infoca, the paveseo (incandescent material) from the forest fire has generated a new front, forcing the eviction.
Evacuation takes place in advance, with the maximum security measures and in advance in the event of a possible unfavorable evolution of the Sierra Bermeja fire in that sector. The actions have been reported and coordinated at all times with the mayor of the municipality, Alberto Benítez.
In addition, the head of the Andalusian Civil Protection service is in the area coordinating the Evacuation Plan that also has the support of the local volunteer groups of Yunquera, Ronda, Algatocín, Moclinejo, Teba and Canillas del Aceituno, as well as with the Red Cross. Likewise, the Group for Psychological Intervention in Emergencies and Disasters (GIPED) of the College of Psychologists of Eastern Andalusia has been activated.
To this is added the continuous work against the flames of the professionals of extinction of the Infoca Plan. At the moment, 20 aircraft, 14 heavy fire fighting vehicles and more than 300 professionals work in the area. Once the activation of the UME has been requested, these troops will join to accompany in the fight against this forest fire that already affects 6,000 hectares and in which an Infoca firefighter died last Thursday.