The blaze, which broke out in Niebla on August 6, has scorched approximately 330 square kilometers of forests and farmland. The flames necessitated the evacuation of around 700 people from various areas in Huelva and Sevilla, though about 70 residents have since been permitted to return, according to Spanish media reports.
Andalusian president Juanma Moreno publicly praised the regional firefighting service, INFOCA, describing their efforts as "admirable" in tackling "one of the most complex wildfires." He stated on the social media platform X, "They have saved lives and homes and prevented the fire from spreading much further."
The burnt area is equivalent to approximately 45,000 football pitches, based on data from the Spanish government. This figure is surpassed only by the 2004 blaze in Minas de Riotinto, also located in Huelva province, which burned 340 square kilometers.
Across Spain, nearly 3,000 square kilometers of land have already been ravaged by wildfires this year, according to the EU's fire monitoring system, Copernicus. This trajectory suggests Spain is on track to match or exceed the 3,900 square kilometers lost last year, which was the country's worst wildfire season on record.
Last month, a large wildfire west of Madrid became the largest ever recorded in Spain, burning around 500 square kilometers. Earlier in July, a deadly fire in Almeria province claimed 14 lives, 13 of whom were expatriates, making it Spain's deadliest wildfire since 2005.
Andalucia's minister for emergencies, Antonio Sanz, has stated that firefighters will continue to monitor the Huelva area due to the sustained risk of new flare-ups.
