The forest fire in Niebla (Huelva) has been stabilized this Sunday after surpassing 38,000 hectares burned and remaining active for more than a week. The president of the Junta de Andalucía, Juanma Moreno, announced the improvement of the situation during a statement from the Advanced Command Post, where he explained that the fire has reached a perimeter of up to 210 kilometers.
The stabilization represents a decisive advance in one of the most serious fires recorded this summer in Andalucía. The fire broke out on August 6 in the area of Rabaconejos and since then has forced the deployment of a significant firefighting operation, in addition to causing evacuations in various localities and areas near the perimeter.
Return of the 417 evacuated neighbors
The favorable evolution will allow for a further step towards normality. Moreno announced that the Junta will propose the return to their homes of the 417 people who were still evacuated as a result of the fire. In the previous days, nearly 200 affected individuals had already been able to return to their homes as the risk in their respective areas decreased.
The decision will depend on whether safety conditions are maintained and whether emergency teams confirm that there is no danger to the neighbors. The priority in recent days has been precisely to secure the inhabited areas and prevent any reproductions that could force new evacuations.
The fire lowers to Level 1
The stabilization of the fire also allows for a reduction in the level of emergency. The fire moves from Operational Situation 2, Level 2, of the Special Civil Protection Plan for Emergencies due to Forest Fires, to Level 1, a reduction that reflects the improvement of conditions on the ground and the lesser threat to the population.
However, the fact that a fire is stabilized does not mean that it is extinguished. Teams will continue working on the perimeter to control hot spots, cool the most sensitive areas, and prevent the wind or a change in weather conditions from reactivating the flames. The enormous size of the affected area also requires maintaining surveillance tasks in the coming days.
The UME begins its withdrawal
The improvement of the situation will also allow for the gradual withdrawal of some of the deployed resources. The personnel of the Military Emergency Unit (UME) will begin their withdrawal this Sunday after participating for days in the extinction and protection efforts of the threatened areas.
The Niebla fire has so far left more than 38,000 hectares affected, a perimeter that has reached 210 kilometers and hundreds of neighbors forced to temporarily abandon their homes. With the fire now stabilized, the operation now enters a new phase focused on consolidating the perimeter and preventing re-ignitions before it can finally be declared controlled and, subsequently, extinguished.