Spain Faces Severe Wildfires, Forcing Evacuations from Villages to UNESCO Sites
MADRID – Spain has been grappling with large wildfires in one of its most intense summers in recent years, with flames consuming tens of thousands of hectares and forcing evacuations from rural villages to UNESCO World Heritage sites, local media reported Monday.
The Ministry of Ecological Transition reported that 39,155 hectares have burned nationwide between January 1 and August 3 — a 9% increase compared to the same period last year, although still 37% below the 10-year average of 62,235 hectares, according to Spanish broadcaster La Sexta.
Out of 4,735 fires recorded this year, 3,274 were small “conatos” (less than one hectare), while 14 were large wildfires exceeding 500 hectares — a number surpassing the decade’s average. The fires have been distributed as follows: 39.96% in the northwest, 24.44% in the Mediterranean, 35.27% in inland communities, and 0.34% in the Canary Islands.
In Galicia, several blazes remain active. A fire in Castro de Escuadro, Ourense, which triggered a Level 2 emergency, was lifted Sunday after destroying around 300 hectares in Maceda municipality. Other incidents include controlled fires in A Fonsagrada (Lugo) affecting about 150 hectares, a stabilized fire in A Estrada (Pontevedra) burning some 20 hectares, and a similar blaze in Vilarino de Conso (Ourense).
Further east, Castilla and Leon is battling around 10 active fires. Among the most severe is the wildfire in Molezuelas de la Carballeda, Zamora, which has consumed over 3,500 hectares and prompted the evacuation of several villages. In León province, a fire in Yeres led to the evacuation or confinement of roughly 800 people and threatens Las Médulas, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its Roman-era gold mines.
In Navarra, a fierce blaze hit the towns of Carcastillo and Murillo de Fruto, though authorities confirmed overnight there was no longer any danger to residents.
Other affected areas include Tarifa in Cádiz, where flames forced the evacuation of about 1,500 people and the removal of around 5,000 vehicles from campsites before the fire was controlled. Along Galicia’s Atlantic coast, fires in Ponteceso and Camariñas (A Coruña) have consumed at least 110 hectares. In Extremadura’s Las Hurdes (Cáceres), firefighters stabilized a fire that burned over 3,000 hectares over five days, forcing roughly 200 residents to flee.
According to Cadena SER, Spain burned around 26,000 hectares in July alone.
Meteorologists attribute the surge in wildfires this summer to record-breaking heatwaves, with temperatures exceeding 40°C (104°F) in several provinces, combined with low humidity and strong winds. Authorities warn that high to extreme fire risk alerts remain in place in many areas, and even fires that appear controlled can reignite under worsening weather conditions.
