Fire in Niebla exceeds 4,000 hectares
EL RIGOR · 8 de agosto de 2026, 15:31 · 2 min read
Cross-checked in sources from Europa Press, OKDiario, Vozpópuli
The fire in Niebla, Huelva, has surpassed 4,000 hectares and has led to the preventive evacuation of 70 people. The blaze, which began last Thursday, has required the intervention of the Military Unit for Emergency Operations (UME) and the Infoca plan, which includes 26 aerial resources, 309 personnel, and 94 vehicles.
Antonio Sanz, the councillor for Presidency, Health, and Emergencies of the Andalusian regional government and director of the Infoca plan, confirmed the situation and highlighted the complexity of the fire due to constant changes in wind direction. "No one should return to an evacuated area until the emergency authorities explicitly communicate it," Sanz reminded.
The fire has experienced four radical shifts in wind direction since its inception, significantly complicating extinguishing efforts and necessitating constant adjustments to the on-site strategy. Weather forecasts have predicted both a change in wind direction and an expansion of the fire's head, leading to an increase in ground resources.
Two forest firefighters were treated, and one remains hospitalised at the Juan Ramón Jiménez Hospital in Huelva. Military emergency personnel have focused on anchoring and advancing with heavy machinery, as well as reconnaissance using drones in areas already affected by the flames.
The situation remains "complex and difficult" more than 24 hours after the flames were first reported. The "aggressiveness" displayed by the fire's head in the northern zone, combined with the evolution of its perimeter, has kept the situation "complex and difficult."
The Operations Committee, along with the Emergency Management, has decided to elevate the fire to operational level 2, a justified escalation given both the potential extent of the fire and the forecast of continued changes in wind direction over the next few hours.
The fire remains active, and extinguishing efforts continue, with hopes that conditions will improve and allow for better control of the fire's spread.
Piece prepared by the newsroom from cross-checked sources in several countries.