After several days of intense efforts, the forest fire affecting the Huelva municipalities of Villanueva de los Castillejos and San Bartolomé de la Torre has been declared stabilized. The flames have ravaged over 5,000 hectares, but the favorable progress in firefighting operations has allowed for the de-escalation of the emergency level and the authorization for the 96 residents previously evacuated to return to their homes.
The Minister of Health, Presidency, and Emergencies reported that the improvement of the situation, despite unfavorable wind forecasts, was crucial for stabilizing the fire. This de-escalation of the emergency level marks the beginning of recovery and the restoration of normality. Consequently, train services between Gibraleón and Calañas on the Huelva-Zafra line have been restored, as have normal road conditions in the area.
Work will now focus on the definitive control and complete extinction of the fire. The minister expressed gratitude for the efforts of the 512 mobilized personnel, including the Military Emergencies Unit (UME), the Infoca Plan, the Huelva Provincial Firefighters, and the Guardia Civil, as well as the support from various involved administrations.
Moments of great tension
The minister highlighted satisfaction with the results achieved, describing the situation as the best possible outcome after experiencing "moments of great concern and tension." During Wednesday night, a team from EMA Infoca comprising 265 professionals, reinforced with personnel from Córdoba, Málaga, and Cádiz, worked on consolidating perimeters and monitoring for potential flare-ups, taking advantage of the nocturnal meteorological conditions.
The affected area within the fire's perimeter is estimated at around 5,000 hectares, although it was clarified that not all of this extent has been completely burned. The minister flew over the zone and explained that there are areas within the perimeter that have not burned or still possess natural regeneration capacity, while acknowledging that there is "a large area seriously affected".
Regarding the nature of the damaged terrain, it was noted that most of it does not consist of forests of significant ecological value but rather scrubland, pastures, and wooded areas. The fire had reached industrial areas and agricultural holdings, but the swift action of emergency teams prevented major damage, particularly in protecting industrial facilities and cement plants on Tuesday. Some agricultural and livestock farms, such as a turkey farm, were affected.
