Niebla wildfire stabilized after ten days, all 417 evacuees authorized to return in Andalucia

Stabilization after ten days

The wildfire declared on August 6 in the Raboconejo area of Niebla, in the province of Huelva, was declared stabilized on Sunday, August 16, at 10:30 AM, after 36 hours during which no new flames were observed along the perimeter. The president of the Junta de Andalucia, Juan Manuel Moreno, announced the stabilization from the Advanced Command Post, confirming that the fire had burned across a perimeter of 210 kilometres. The emergency was downgraded from Operational Situation Level 2 to Level 1 under Andalucia's Special Civil Protection Plan for Forest Fire Emergencies.

Sources differ on the total burned area: ABC reports more than 40,000 hectares, while El Confidencial and La Razon cite 38,000 hectares. The fire has been described as the largest wildfire in Andalucia's recent history. La Razon notes that the burned surface threatens to surpass the area consumed in the 2004 Riotinto fire.

Evacuees return home

All 417 people who remained preventively evacuated as of Sunday were authorized to return to their homes in the provinces of Huelva and Sevilla. The total number of people affected by the fire, including both evacuees and those confined, was approximately 700: 524 in Huelva and 194 in Sevilla, according to El Confidencial.

Huelva524

Sevilla194

Huelva

524 people

Sevilla

194 people

Data from the article text

The return proceeded in stages. Antonio Sanz, vice president of the Junta de Andalucia, announced on Saturday night the authorization for 154 residents to return, adding to 114 who had returned the previous night. The municipality of El Madrono in Sevilla, with nearly 300 residents evacuated across its town centre and four hamlets, was allowed back on Saturday, with the exception of the El Alamo hamlet and some nearby farms until Sunday. Antonio Lopez Rubiano, mayor of El Madrono, described the experience of residents during the days of uncertainty.

“The fire has not entered the town. We are calmer. People have had a very hard time with the uncertainty of knowing whether we would burn or not.”

Deployment and withdrawal

The operation mounted to fight the fire became the largest in Andalucia. El Confidencial reports 761 personnel deployed on the ground and 258 material resources, while La Razon cites figures growing from 875 effectives on Friday to 1,116 effectives and 337 terrestrial resources on Saturday, with 33 aircraft incorporated progressively after the daily break-up of the thermal inversion. ABC refers to more than 1,000 personnel deployed over the ten days.

Following stabilization, the acting government delegate in Andalucia, Francisco Toscano, announced the reopening of all affected roads and the progressive withdrawal of state resources. The Military Emergency Unit (UME) returned to its base in Moron de la Frontera, forest brigades began their return, and some aerial resources from the Ministry for Ecological Transition (Miteco) were gradually withdrawn. Guardia Civil forces remain deployed to assist with rehousing and ensure orderly returns.

Causes and conditions

The director of the Andalusian Emergency Agency (EMA), Alejandro Garcia Hernandez, described the conditions driving the fire as a "perfect cocktail." Eucalyptus trees, whose essential oils act as high-caloric fuel and whose laminated bark can be carried by wind to ignite new spot fires, were central to the fire's behaviour. La Razon reports that the fire made jumps of more than three kilometres and even advanced against the wind direction due to convective clouds it generated. Wind speeds reached up to 60 kilometres per hour, rotating in a full circle throughout the day, with relief only coming at night. The absence of agricultural fields, which in other fires serve as natural firebreaks, compounded the difficulty.

Toscano called for reflection on reforestation that addresses the reality of climate change to prevent future environmental disasters. Two phases remain: definitive extinction, in collaboration with municipal governments to assess damage, and subsequent recovery of the affected areas in Huelva and Sevilla.