UME Activated as Niebla Wildfire Remains Out of Control in Huelva

The Andalusian government has requested the deployment of the Military Emergencies Unit (UME) to combat a wildfire in Niebla, Huelva, which officials describe as being beyond current extinction capabilities. The fire has forced the evacuation of 66 people and the closure of two roads due to unpredictable wind shifts that have endangered firefighters and expanded the blaze’s perimeter.

Antonio Sanz, the counselor for Presidency, Health, and Emergencies and director of the Andalusia Forest Fire Emergency Plan (Plan Infoca), activated “operational situation 2” after the fire’s behavior became increasingly unstable. According to Sanz, the blaze, which started Thursday afternoon in the Raboconejo area, has undergone four radical changes in wind direction, complicating efforts to establish a control line.

Sanz reported that the fire initially moved west-southwest before shifting northwest, which limited opportunities for containment. By Friday night, a fourth wind shift began directing the fire toward the southeast, adding further complexity to the operation.

Sanz underlined that the aggressiveness the fire has had in its head, in the northern area, and the evolution of the perimeter have caused the situation to continue being complex and difficult.

The emergency response on Friday included 24 aerial assets, consisting of 13 airplanes and 11 helicopters, supported by 150 ground personnel. To protect critical infrastructure, five bulldozers were used to expand a firebreak ahead of the Villarrasa waste plant.

Aerial operations ceased at sunset on Friday, leaving ground crews to manage the perimeter throughout the night. For Saturday, authorities plan to integrate additional forest fire intervention brigades to support the four existing Autonomous Community Fire Reinforcement Brigades (Brica) and other deployed forest firefighters. Total personnel on the ground are expected to exceed 150 professionals.

Evacuations and Road Closures in Huelva

A total of 66 residents have been evacuated from the affected areas. According to official reports, 40 of those displaced came from the La Florida area, while others were evacuated from the villages of Raboconejo and Caballón. A small number of these residents required emergency relocation to a hotel in Valverde del Camino.

Traffic remains disrupted in the region. Authorities have closed the HU-3106 road between Niebla and Valverde del Camino, as well as the A-493, to ensure public safety and allow emergency vehicle access.

The regional government’s decision to elevate the emergency status was based on the potential extension of the fire and the forecast of constant wind fluctuations, which Sanz stated had created a situation where the fire was effectively outside the capacity of the initial extinction means.