Residents moved out after wildfire took hold

A wildfire in the Velefique area of Almeria forced emergency crews to evacuate a small group of rural homes on Monday afternoon as firefighters worked to contain the flames.

The precautionary move covered a cortijada of around six properties used as second homes, according to the original report, while the fire remained active as night fell.

Early reports said the blaze had taken hold in dry scrubland and esparto grass. Around 80 ground personnel and three helicopters were initially mobilised to tackle it.

Crews kept working after nightfall

By the evening, the air assets had been withdrawn as darkness reduced visibility, but the ground operation remained in place and was expected to continue overnight.

The firefighting effort was being carried out with the hope that lower temperatures would help crews get the upper hand on the fire.

The incident comes as the province remains highly exposed to fast-moving mountain fires in dry conditions, particularly where low vegetation can ignite and spread quickly.

At the time of writing, there was no report of injuries, but the situation was still ongoing.