Firefighters raced to contain a rapidly spreading wildfire north of Spain’s capital, Madrid, on Sunday, deploying over 500 emergency personnel and 25 aircraft to tackle the blaze.
The incident follows one of Spain’s most catastrophic wildfires in recent history, which claimed 13 lives and destroyed 7,000 hectares in Almeria province earlier this month.
Current wildfire details
The latest fire ignited Thursday in Guadalajara province, within the Sierra Norte Natural Park—a forested, mountainous area home to endangered wildlife including eagles and wolves.
According to The Country newspaper, the fire had consumed over 13,000 hectares by Sunday, advancing 14 kilometers (9 miles) overnight, as reported by public broadcaster RTVE.
Emergency Response Praised
Castilla-La Mancha regional governor Emiliano Garcia-Page commended emergency workers on social media, stating they had “managed to save many lives,” as hundreds of residents were evacuated from the threatened area.
No fatalities have been reported in the current incident, though authorities remain on high alert amid Spain’s severe summer drought conditions.
Arson Investigation Launched
Authorities arrested a man on suspicion of arson on Thursday following a tip from local residents.
The arrest comes amid national concerns over wildfire risks, particularly after last month’s Almeria disaster, where 13 people—including some foreign tourists—perished when trapped in burning vehicles.
Zaragoza Fire Remains Uncontrolled
In neighboring Zaragoza province, a separate wildfire raged since Wednesday, forcing the evacuation of over 1,000 residents. Regional authorities warned Friday evening that the blaze remained “far from under control,” though Aragon’s regional president Jorge Azcon expressed cautious optimism Saturday, calling it “the first day we can breathe a sigh of relief” as containment improved.
Spain’s wildfires this year have already devastated over 80,000 hectares—a figure nearly double the 2023 seasonal total according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). Scientists attribute the escalation to climate change-driven heatwaves intensifying landscape dryness and fire risk.
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