The fire in Niebla enters this Saturday into a new day of extinguishing work after an evolution that the Junta de Andalucía has qualified as extremely complex due to the continuous changes in the direction of the wind.
The fire started in the area of Raboconejo and initially forced the preventive evacuation of residents from this nucleus and from Caballón. The number of evacuees later rose to 66 people, 40 of them from the La Florida area. Most have been able to move to other homes, although accommodation was provided for those who needed it.
The UME joins the fire in Niebla
The Junta raised the Infoca Plan to operational situation 2 due to the possibility that the fire could affect the population and non-forest assets and requested the intervention of the Military Emergency Unit.
The BIEM II, based in Morón de la Frontera, was deployed to Huelva to join the operation.
During Friday's workday, 24 aerial resources were operational, eleven helicopters and 13 planes, along with about 150 ground personnel and five bulldozers. For this Saturday, the incorporation of new brigades to the work on the ground is planned.
Which roads are closed
The two roads that remained closed due to the emergency are the HU-3106, between Niebla and Valverde del Camino, and the A-493.
Traffic and access may change depending on the evolution of the fire, so drivers who need to travel through the area should consult official information before starting their journey.
One of the points that most concerned the extinguishing teams was the northern flank. The changes in wind managed to radically alter the trajectory of the flames several times during Friday, complicating the creation of safe zones from which to attack the fire.
The provisional estimate released by the Junta placed the burned area at around 380 hectares. It is not yet a definitive balance and may vary when a complete measurement of the perimeter is possible.
What has caused the fire in Niebla?
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Although various hypotheses have circulated in recent hours, the authorities have not yet communicated a definitive cause. The information available this Saturday keeps the investigation open, preventing the fire from being attributed to negligence as a confirmed fact.
The other fire declared on Thursday in Villablanca was extinguished on Friday, which allows for more resources to be concentrated in Niebla.