Devastating blaze in Spain results in initial fatality.
Spain's Worst Wildfire Season on Record Continues
Spain is currently experiencing its worst wildfire season on record, with multiple extreme wildfires burning across the country, particularly in northern Galicia and western regions such as Extremadura and Castile and León.
As of August 20, 2025, these fires have collectively scorched around 373,000 hectares (about 3,730 square kilometers) of woodlands and rural areas, surpassing any previous year since monitoring began nearly two decades ago.
The situation remains highly volatile despite recent drops in temperature following a prolonged heatwave. Thousands of firefighters, supported by soldiers and international crews from Germany, alongside water-bombing aircraft, are still actively combating over a dozen active fires.
The evacuation numbers are in the thousands. In the province of Ourense in Galicia, entire villages have been evacuated. Locals in some remote areas had to evacuate or assist with firefighting before official help arrived. More than 5,000 people have been evacuated nationwide in Spain, with over 3,000 people having to evacuate their homes in León.
Four people have died in Spain due to these fires, with additional casualties reported across the border in Portugal. The environmental impact is severe, with this wildfire season producing the highest wildfire emissions in Spain since 2003. The smoke and particulate matter (PM2.5) have significantly worsened air quality, exceeding WHO safety levels.
The prolonged extreme heat and dryness linked to climate change have been recognized as key drivers exacerbating fire frequency and intensity in Spain. The fires in the regions of León, Zamora, Ourense, and Cádiz are ongoing, as well as fires in the regions of Greece.
In the south of Spain, near Tarifa, the situation is no longer critical, but fires near Tarifa forced more than 2,000 people to evacuate, many of whom have since been able to return.
These wildfires mark an unprecedented fire season driven by climatic extremes, requiring ongoing vigilance and international assistance.
General-news reports indicate that Spain's worst wildfire season on record continues to take a toll, with accidents from the wildfires resulting in four fatalities and additional casualties reported in Portugal. Weather conditions, particularly the high temperatures and dryness linked to climate change, are being cited as key drivers contributing to the increase in wildfire emissions in Spain, which currently stand at their highest levels since 2003.
