Soldier dies and three injured in accident during battle against major Aragón wildfire

The accident happened on Sunday in the Atarés ravine, close to Mount Oroel in the province of Huesca, an area of difficult, rugged terrain. The vehicle was carrying members of the UME who had been deployed as part of the major operation to bring the week-long wildfire under control.

The soldier who died was a member of the UME’s Fourth Emergency Intervention Battalion (BIEM IV).

Three other military personnel travelling in the vehicle were injured. Two were taken to Jaca Hospital with minor injuries, while a third was transferred to Miguel Servet University Hospital in Zaragoza. Aragón government sources told Spain’s national broadcaster RTVE the latter was ‘stable and out of danger’.

Spain’s Defence Ministry confirmed that the soldier had died while on duty and offered its ‘most sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of the soldier’, while wishing his injured colleagues a ‘speedy recovery’.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was among those who paid tribute following the accident.

‘All my love and solidarity go to the family and colleagues of the UME soldier who died in an accident,’ Sánchez wrote on X. ‘Thank you to all the men and women of the UME and the emergency services for your dedication, commitment and courage. We are forever in your debt.’

Opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo also expressed his condolences, writing: ‘My deepest condolences to the family of the UME soldier who died while on his way to fight a wildfire.’ He also wished those injured in the accident a swift recovery.

Aragón regional president Jorge Azcón spoke to the UME lieutenant general to convey his condolences.

‘All my love and support go to his family, his colleagues and the entire UME at this time of profound sorrow,’ Azcón said.

The fatal accident came just as firefighters appeared to be making some progress against a blaze which has burned across an estimated 17,500 hectares.

‘It is true that after the good news this afternoon, and with the rain helping to improve the outlook somewhat, we have received the worst possible news – the news that none of us would ever have wanted to receive,’ Azcón said.

The regional president said the Aragón authorities would place themselves at the disposal of both the UME and the soldier’s family to ‘help with anything that is required’. Aragón’s institutions will also observe a period of mourning over the coming days.

1,000 personnel tackling 17,500-hectare fire

The accident has cast a shadow over what Aragón’s regional government has described as the largest firefighting deployment in the region’s history.

Around 1,000 personnel from different administrations and more than 40 aircraft have been involved in tackling the Las Peñas de Riglos blaze, which has spread across approximately 17,500 hectares.

About 100 French firefighters have also arrived to reinforce the operation. They reached the affected area on Sunday afternoon and are due to begin working on the fire from Monday.

Following an evening meeting of the Integrated Operational Coordination Centre (CECOPI), which began with a minute’s silence for the dead UME soldier, Aragón regional interior minister Roberto Bermúdez de Castro said conditions had improved compared with the previous day.

He described the fire as ‘less intense’ than the previous day, but stressed that the situation remained difficult and warned against assuming that the danger had passed.

‘The fire remains in a difficult situation at the moment; it is a very complex and challenging area, with very extensive wooded areas,’ he said.

Rain has reached some sections of the fire perimeter, helping crews make progress, but Bermúdez de Castro said considerable work remained to be done and warned that ‘there is still a long way to go before this fire is over’.

The priority is now to consolidate the containment achieved in the most difficult sectors, maintain close surveillance around Mount Oroel and protect communities in the surrounding area, while crews also monitor changing weather conditions.

Nineteen communities and three camps remain evacuated, with 1,046 people forced to leave their homes or accommodation. Roads have also been closed and parts of the regional railway network disrupted.

The fire has posed a particular threat to the historic monasteries of San Juan de la Peña, one of Aragón’s most important cultural and religious sites.

The oldest monastery has origins dating back to the 10th century and is associated in legend with the Holy Grail. It also contains the remains of some of the earliest kings of the medieval Kingdom of Aragón, which were removed from the site for protection as the wildfire approached last week. ALSO READ: Spain evacuates remains of medieval kings as wildfire threatens historic Aragón monastery.

The battle against the flames has been complicated by rugged terrain, high temperatures and frequently changing winds.

King Felipe VI has also been following developments. Azcón said the monarch had called him to express his support for those evacuated and his gratitude to the emergency personnel fighting the blaze.

Meanwhile, the Guardia Civil have arrested a person suspected of starting the fire. ALSO READ: Hundreds evacuated as fierce Huelva wildfire continues to defy firefighters.