The forest fire declared in the province of Huelva, in the Niebla area, faces decisive hours after a critical Saturday. The flames have already affected over 4,000 hectares, primarily of eucalyptus, dehesa, and pine forests, and have forced the evacuation of a total of 400 people from the municipalities of Berrocal, Marigenta, El Membrillo, and El Pozuelo.
Adverse weather conditions, including high temperatures, constant wind shifts, and complex terrain, along with abundant vegetation, have greatly hindered firefighting efforts. This has necessitated maintaining level 2 of the Infoca Plan's emergency phase and a broad joint operation between the Junta de Andalucía and the Spanish Government, involving the UME (Military Emergencies Unit) and aerial resources from the Ministry of Ecological Transition.
The operation involves over 500 personnel, including 215 professionals from Infoca, 250 UME soldiers, firefighters from the Provincial Consortium of Huelva, and other integrated organizations. Up to 26 aerial resources have been deployed simultaneously, along with 94 ground vehicles, including water trucks and heavy machinery. The fire's complexity has resulted in three forest firefighters injured, two of whom required hospitalization.
Late on Saturday, the Minister of Presidency and Emergencies, Antonio Sanz, reported "progress" in controlling the fire, highlighting the "sealing" of the fire's tail near the landfill area. The objective is to consolidate the perimeter to prevent new wind shifts from spreading the flames further.
The presidents of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, and the Junta de Andalucía, Juanma Moreno, have expressed concern over the fire's evolution and acknowledged the work of emergency services. The Government delegate in Andalusia, Francisco Toscano, also visited the advanced command post to emphasize institutional coordination.
