The Valencian Community has announced the complete closure of natural parks across Valencia and Castellón, alongside key sites in Alicante including Sierra de Mariola, Font Roja, and Pego-Oliva, on 12th August due to the upcoming solar eclipse. The regional authority has activated level 3 pre-emergency status, indicating an extreme risk of forest fires across the entire region during the event.
The Regional Minister for Emergencies and Interior, Juan Carlos Valderrama, confirmed the measures following a coordination meeting for the eclipse preventive plan held at the Emergency Coordination Centre of the Generalitat. To handle potential incidents, 26 aerial units will be fully operational and ready for immediate deployment.
Special protocols will begin on 10th August at 00:00 with Situation 0 activation until 23:59 on 11th August. From 00:00 on 12th August, Situation 2 will take effect alongside the highest level 3 wildfire pre-emergency level. Emergency coordination centres (Cecopi) will be set up in l’Eliana and at the Provincial Consortium of Castellón.
The regional administration has urged members of the public to refrain from entering woodland or forest terrain to observe the eclipse, asking people to gather in urban areas or official observation points instead. Nine municipalities have been designated as official observation spots: València, Macastre, Puçol, Utiel, Aras de los Olmos, Castelló de la Plana, Peñíscola, Onda, and Benassal. Each of these locations will activate local emergency command posts (Cecopal), with preventative posts established in València and Castelló de la Plana.
To support the security operation, 2,500 officers from the National Police and Guardia Civil will be deployed across the provinces of Valencia and Castellón, alongside maritime service units and citizen safety patrols to monitor roads, forest areas, and viewing locations.
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