Soneja fire: 183 hectares burned and 500 people evacuated

Today's essentials

Soneja fire: 183 hectares burned and 500 people evacuated. The forest fire that broke out in Soneja (Castellón province) on 5 July 2026 burned more than 183 hectares and forced around 500 residents of Soneja and Azuébar to evacuate before it was declared fully out on 12 July, according to Libertad Digital.

What you need to know

• Towns affected : Soneja and Azuébar, in the interior of Castellón province; evacuees were taken in by relatives in nearby towns or sheltered at the Segorbe seminary.
• Roads closed or diverted : Roads closed during the fire reopened on 7 July 2026; specific road numbers were not available in the reports.
• Official instructions : The Generalitat Valenciana activated level 2 of its special wildfire plan (PEIF) and ordered the preventive evacuation of Azuébar; evacuated residents were allowed to return home on 7 July 2026, according to TheObjective.
• Air quality : Not available at this time.
• Official numbers & channels : Emergency line 112 and the official Emergencies GVA (Generalitat Valenciana) channels.
• Last updated : Fire declared fully extinguished on Saturday 12 July 2026 at 20:25, according to the 112 service and the Castellón provincial fire consortium.

Situation ongoing: this article will be updated.

Weather today

Today's weather in Valencia. Valencia sees scattered showers today with temperatures between 29 and 36°C and wind up to 15 km/h, according to Open-Meteo, so keep water handy and stay in the shade during the hottest hours.

Transport & traffic

• Protected housing now pricier than free-market rentals. The maximum price per square metre of protected housing (VPO) in the Valencian Community now runs 850 euros above the average value of free-market rentals, according to elDiario.es. In high-demand cities like Valencia, the 16.7% increase in the VPO ceiling approved by the PP-led Consell over two years has brought protected homes level with, or above, ordinary market housing. For buyers on modest incomes who count on VPO as a cheaper route into ownership, that gap all but erases the advantage the scheme is meant to offer.
• A 90 m² protected flat jumps by over 33,000 euros. A 90-square-metre protected flat in the Valencian Community now costs 231,120 euros instead of 198,000, after the regional government lifted the price per square metre from 2,400 to 2,568 euros. Business associations had been pushing for a rise of at least 7%, but the Consell went well beyond that with a 16.7% jump, elDiario.es reports. In practice, anyone eligible for a protected home of this size faces an extra bill of more than 33,000 euros compared with the previous cap, a meaningful hurdle for first-time buyers doing their sums this autumn.

What's changing for you

• Heavy rain cracks a road in Xàtiva. Intense rainfall in Xàtiva has damaged the road beside the Jardín del Beso, opening a sizeable crack and disrupting the takedown of the town's street market stalls, according to Levante-EMV. If you drive through Xàtiva or shop at its street market, expect some local disruption around the Jardín del Beso while the damage is assessed and repaired.
• La Fe becomes a reference for children's orthopedic surgery. Valencia's La Fe University Hospital has been officially designated a reference unit for pediatric orthopedic and trauma surgery by the regional health department, according to La Voz de Alzira. For families with children who need specialist bone or trauma surgery, the designation means these complex cases can now be treated at a recognised centre in Valencia itself, rather than travelling elsewhere. If your child is referred for this kind of care, La Fe is now the regional point of reference.

Local news to know

• The Soneja and Azuébar fire is fully out. The forest fire that struck Soneja and Azuébar in Castellón province is now fully out after burning more than 183 hectares, Levante-EMV reports. Some 500 residents had been forced to leave their homes while the blaze was active. With the fire now declared fully out, the immediate emergency has passed; if you live in or travel to the Soneja and Azuébar area, check local advice on any lingering road or access restrictions.
• AEMET issues orange storm alert after 44°C heat. After a red alert for extreme heat with highs of up to 44°C, the AEMET national weather agency has activated an orange alert for storms, hail and wind gusts reaching 80 km/h in Valencia province, according to Valencia Secreta.
• Picassent's Fiestas Mayores run 28 August to 12 September. Picassent holds its Fiestas Mayores 2026 from 28 August to 12 September, with orchestras, fireworks, religious ceremonies and family activities, according to Valencia Bonita.
• Free concerts return to the Ciutat de les Arts. Valencia Bonita reports that Berklee Valencia's free 'Un Lago de Conciertos' series returns to the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències with six new dates, following the success of three shows in late July.

Tonight and tomorrow, Valencia

• Torrent turns its squares into summer stages this weekend. Torrent's 'A la Lluna de Torrent' offers six free-spirited events on 21 and 22 August, with live magic and rumba plus screenings of the award-winning films 'El 47' and 'Buffalo Kids', according to Valencia Extra. Held across the town's squares and parks over the two evenings, it is an easy, close-to-home plan if you want live shows and open-air cinema without heading into the city centre.

See the full agenda, tonight and tomorrow