BARCELONA, Aug 8, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - More than 275 firefighters were on 
Saturday battling a challenging wildfire in Spain's southern Andalusia 
region, though authorities said no residential zone was currently at threat.

The blaze, happening north of the town of Niebla, halfway between Seville and 
the Portuguese border, was active in an area of around 4,000 hectares (9,900 
acres), an adviser to Andalusia's emergency service, Antonio Sanz, said.

"This wildfire is driven by constantly changing winds, which up-ends attack 
strategies," he told reporters.

He adding that a "window of opportunity" had opened Saturday for a few hours, 
before conditions again worsened later in the day.

Sixty troops belonging to a military unit for emergencies were among the 275 
firefighters, who were being assisted by some 20 aircraft and heavy 
machinery, the regional fire service said.

Spain is enduring a tough summer for wildfires, with various blazes having 
forced the evacuation of thousands of people, especially in the centre of the 
country. One forest inferno that raged in July in the Avila region near 
Madrid was considered the biggest Spain had seen in recent history.

Early in July, another sweeping blaze caused 14 deaths in Almeria province in 
Andalusia.

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