A wildfire in the municipality of Niebla in Spain’s Huelva province has spread across an area of about 8,000 hectares, although a significant part of that area has not yet burned, El Pais reports.

Since the fire broke out last Thursday, 467 people have been evacuated from the danger zone, according to the Andalusian authorities.

The largest number of evacuees — 283 people — are residents of the village of Berrocal. This area was also at the center of one of the largest wildfires in Spain’s history: in 2004, the blaze destroyed about 34,000 hectares here.

No new evacuations were required overnight, but firefighters were unable to complete all planned operations because of the high level of danger, especially in the northwestern sector. At present, no населенные пункты are directly threatened by the fire.

Fire crews continue to create protective lines on the approaches to the fire zone. In the morning, aircraft resumed firefighting efforts, focusing on the leading edge of the blaze. Ground units of the Spanish army and the Infoca wildfire service continue to strengthen defensive lines.

The situation is being complicated by the wind, which has been constantly changing direction since the fire began. During the middle hours of Sunday, its speed may reach 30–35 km/h. In addition, low humidity is expected, which will contribute to the spread of the fire.

Rescue workers are also contending with difficult terrain and highly flammable vegetation. At the same time, the authorities note that a significant portion of the territory crossed by the fire has not actually burned. The exact area of scorched land will be determined after an analysis of satellite data from the European Copernicus program.

On the eastern flank, the fire is approaching the Tinto River. There are no населенные пункты in this zone so far, so the main threat is to forested areas.

Meanwhile, three major wildfires in Galicia, each of which covered more than 20 hectares, have been brought under control. Altogether, they destroyed more than 160 hectares of forest.

In Castellón province, the fire in the municipality of Culla has been brought under control, but firefighting continues in Tírig, where the affected area is about 395 hectares. Because of it, the authorities have maintained confinement measures for residents of the municipality of Catí.