Spain wildfire prompts evacuation of 470 in Huelva

A wildfire in Spain's southwestern province of Huelva remained active on Sunday, prompting authorities to move 470 locals to safety as a precaution.

Authorities said the blaze near Niebla, about 70 kilometres from the Portuguese border, had affected about 8,000 hectares, though not all of that area had burned.

Antonio Sanz, the Andalusia region's minister for emergencies, said the fire remained complex and that crews still faced a difficult day, but he said authorities were “somewhat more optimistic” about controlling it.

Around 500 firefighters, supported by waterbombing planes, were deployed to contain the blaze.

Spain has faced a difficult summer for wildfires, with about three dozen blazes forcing the evacuation of thousands of people, especially in the centre of the country. A July fire in the Avila region near Madrid was considered the biggest Spain had seen in recent history, affecting about 50,000 hectares. Another large blaze in Almeria province in Andalusia caused 14 deaths early in July.

Europe has suffered repeated heatwaves and drought this year, which scientists say have been aggravated by human-generated climate change.