A wildfire that began at midday has ravaged twenty five hectares of the protected area La Hita, adjacent to Mar Menor. Approximately nineteen point three hectares belong to Los Alcázares, while five point five hectares fall within San Javier. Damaged areas include part of the wooden walkway that connects both municipalities, which is popular among walkers. The fire has primarily affected the reed beds that support local wildlife such as stilt and little tern.

The mayor of San Javier, José Miguel Luengo, assessed the damage alongside Juan María Vázquez, the regional environment secretary. Luengo stated that “the environmental damage is undeniable in a protected area,” while remaining hopeful that the reed beds will recover quickly due to the high water table. However, Los Alcázares’ mayor, Mario Pérez Cervera, expressed concerns about the lack of maintenance and control from environmental authorities, which he believes increases the risk of such disasters.

Firefighters had confidence by the evening that a fire break created by excavators would help contain the flames. As wind gusts reached up to forty nine kilometres per hour, residents of Los Narejos received evacuation recommendations due to large smoke plumes in the area. Fortunately, most homes remained unoccupied as the summer tourist season has not yet begun.

By late evening, some residents were allowed to return home, although firefighters remained on duty throughout the night. Campsites nearby only needed to relocate a few residents away from the most affected areas. The owner of a local camper park reported minimal disruption, while those still present remained unperturbed by the fire. Emergency services continue to monitor the situation closely.