Spain is grappling with 14 major wildfires that have claimed at least seven lives and destroyed an area roughly the size of London. Strong winds and an ongoing heatwave have fueled the blazes, with authorities warning that “unfavourable conditions” are making containment difficult.
Virginia Barcones, Spain’s Director General of Emergency Services, described the crisis as one of the worst in two decades. “In the western part of the country, the situation is extremely worrying,” she told national broadcaster RTVE.
The fires have prompted mass evacuations, road closures, and disrupted rail services. In Galicia, several fires merged into a massive blaze stretching from Ourense province to neighboring Zamora. Some residents, however, remained to protect their homes. “We are waiting for the fire to come down to try and stop it, so it does not reach the houses,” said Loli Baz, 52, from Villanueva de la Sierra in Zamora.
Spain’s national weather agency, AEMET, issued extreme fire risk alerts for the north and west, with temperatures expected to reach 40°C (104°F) along the north coast. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned on X: “Today will be another very difficult day, with an extreme risk of new fires.”
One of the largest wildfires in the country’s history, near Molezuelas de la Carballeda in Castile and Leon, briefly spread at 4,000 hectares per hour before slowing, according to Eduardo Diego, the regional government representative. Another fire in Badajoz, Extremadura, burned 2,500 hectares before being contained.
The wildfires have also caused serious injuries and arrests. In Ourense, three firefighters were severely hurt, and police detained a man for starting a fire with a tractor in violation of local restrictions. In Galicia’s Costa da Morte, two individuals were arrested for illegally burning copper cables, which sparked fires.
According to the EU’s Forest Fire Information Service, more than 157,000 hectares have burned across Spain this year—nearly double the annual average. Neighboring Portugal is also facing severe fires, with thousands of firefighters tackling five major blazes. Authorities there have evacuated hundreds and requested EU support, including water-bombing aircraft.
The wildfires come amid one of the hottest summers in recent memory, raising concerns about fire management and climate-related disasters across the Iberian Peninsula.
