Lorraine Williamson
Spain is again staring down a summer of flames — and finger-pointing. Dozens of active wildfires have forced mass evacuations from Castilla y León to the Valencian interior, with emergency services stretched by heat, wind and lightning-sparked outbreaks.
The government has activated a national “pre-emergency” to coordinate assets across regions as conditions remain volatile.
A prolonged heatwave, low humidity and gusting winds have driven rapid fire spread across the north-west and centre. In Valencia’s Teresa de Cofrentes, officials say a lightning strike ignited a fast-moving blaze in rugged terrain, prompting hamlet evacuations and the Level 2 emergency plan.
Further west, Extremadura’s Jarilla fire shut the A-66 and triggered a mobile alert as authorities ordered confinements and evacuations. Firefighters and the UME (military emergency unit) continue to deploy on multiple fronts.
Lives lost and communities displaced
Tragedy has marked the week. A 35-year-old volunteer firefighter died from burns while cutting firebreaks near Nogarejas (León), according to national and international reports. In Madrid’s Tres Cantos, a man later died after trying to rescue horses from a burning equestrian centre. Thousands have been evacuated nationwide as fires threaten villages and infrastructure.
In the south, Tarifa saw more than 2,000 evacuations when flames advanced towards the town earlier this week. Aerial and ground crews have since stabilised the situation.
Ourense under pressure
Galicia’s Ourense province has endured one of the worst regional clusters this summer, with several major fires burning across at least 10,000 hectares, according to officials cited on Wednesday. Rail services and local roads have been intermittently affected.
Politics intrudes on the fireline
As crews battle the flames, political tensions have escalated. Senior figures traded barbs over leadership and readiness, while the Interior Ministry’s pre-emergency move underscores the scale of the challenge. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez publicly backed responders and urged caution as evacuations mounted. Meanwhile, Environment Minister Sara Aagesen said many ignitions show signs consistent with arson, though investigations continue.
Exhausted teams, angry unions
On the ground, unions have accused some regional authorities of poor coordination and gruelling shifts during peak activity, reflecting long-running arguments over staffing and equipment. Officials counter that resources are finite and must be prioritised amid simultaneous incidents. (This mirrors disputes seen during prior fire seasons in Spain and across southern Europe.)
Local resilience
Villagers have stepped in where possible — wetting properties, cutting scrub and helping neighbours to evacuate. Authorities continue to stress: follow orders and avoid risk; conditions can switch from manageable to lethal in minutes.
Overview of the wildfires in Spain
Where the fires are hitting hardest
Castilla y León remains at the centre of the emergency, with multiple large fronts in Zamora, León and Palencia. Molezuelas, Puercas and Yeres — where the UNESCO-listed Las Médulas site has been destroyed — are among the worst-affected. More than 30,000 hectares have burned, the largest loss since 1968. Over 8,000 people have been evacuated, one person has died and ten have been injured, four critically. The Puercas fire has now moved towards the Sierra de la Culebra.
In Galicia, Ourense is enduring the region’s most severe blazes of the summer. Fires in Chandrexa de Queixa and Maceda–Santiso have destroyed more than 19,000 hectares, including 5,000 in Chandrexa alone. Three people have been injured, and the high-speed rail link between Madrid and Galicia was temporarily halted.
Extremadura has been battling major outbreaks in Jarilla, Casares de las Hurdes and Santibáñez el Alto. Around 2,400 hectares have been lost in Cáceres and a further 1,200 in Jarilla. Evacuations have taken place in Cabezabellosa and Oliva de Plasencia, and parts of the A-66 and N-630 were closed.
In Castilla-La Mancha, large fires in Calera y Chozas and Navalmoralejo, Toledo, have burned more than 3,000 hectares but are now under control.
Asturias is dealing with ten active wildfires, three of them stabilised. Several have spread from neighbouring León into Cangas del Narcea, the Picos de Europa foothills and other forested areas.
The Valencian Community saw a lightning strike spark a blaze in Teresa de Cofrentes on Wednesday, leading to the evacuation of two hamlets and the activation of the region’s Level 2 emergency plan.
In Madrid, flames in Torrelodones and Tres Cantos have scorched around 2,000 hectares. A 50-year-old man died while trying to rescue horses from a burning stable. Residents in some areas have since returned.
Finally, in Andalucia, fires in Tarifa (Cádiz) and Jabugo (Huelva) have been stabilised. More than 2,000 people were evacuated from Tarifa earlier this week, while the Jabugo fire — caused by lightning — caused no major damage.
Why this year feels worse
Spain’s fire season is getting longer. Hotter, drier spells are arriving earlier and sticking around. Researchers and the EU’s monitoring hub note that 2025 has already burned well above recent averages across the bloc — and Spain is among the hardest-hit.
What to watch next
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Wind shifts & dry storms: New ignitions from lightning remain a risk in the east and south.
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Arson probes: The Environment Ministry says the “virulence” and timing of many fires suggest deliberate action in several cases; police investigations are active.
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Critical corridors: Transport links near large perimeters (A-66/A-6 corridors; HSR in Galicia) may face rolling disruption as assets reposition.