Current Causes and Impacts of Wildfires in Spain and Portugal (2025)
Causes
Spain undergoes its worst wildfires in recent two decades - Spain suffers its most severe fire in twenty years
The severe wildfires in Spain and Portugal are primarily caused by prolonged heatwaves and drought conditions, which turn regions into tinderboxes. These conditions are exacerbated by climate change, leading to unprecedented fire activity. The intense heat, with temperatures exceeding 44°C in several areas, coupled with dry conditions, has significantly increased the risk of wildfires.
Impacts
The environmental damage caused by these wildfires is substantial. In Spain, over 350,000 hectares have been burned, which is the worst year on record. The fires have destroyed villages and affected significant areas, including the Roman gold mines of Las Médulas, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The humanitarian crisis caused by the wildfires is equally severe. More than 30,000 people have been evacuated in Spain, with four deaths reported. Dozens of roads are closed, and significant infrastructure disruptions have occurred. Wildfire emissions in Spain have reached the highest level since 2003, contributing to a dangerous rise in air pollution. The PM2.5 concentrations have exceeded safe levels established by the World Health Organization.
Portugal has also been severely affected, with a significant increase in burnt forest areas compared to previous years. Neighboring countries like France are also dealing with major wildfires.
Thousands of firefighters, military emergency unit personnel, civil protection, and police are working tirelessly to fight the flames. A relief convoy from Bonn is expected to support the Spanish forces this week with 67 firefighters and over 20 vehicles.
The ongoing drought, strong winds, difficult-to-reach areas, and a prolonged heatwave with temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius are making the work of the emergency services more challenging. The European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) provides the latest estimates.
The fires have already claimed four lives, including a firefighter who died on Monday night. Parts of nature reserves have been destroyed by the fires. The fires are at level two of the emergency scale, according to the director-general of the Civil Protection, Virginia Barcones.
Spain is currently experiencing the most devastating forest fires in two decades, with over 3,440 square kilometers of nature destroyed. These fires are larger than the Saarland, a region in Germany, which is approximately 2,570 square kilometers in size.
There are currently 23 major fires in the Autonomous Communities of Castile and León, Galicia, Asturias, and Extremadura. The previous record for forest fires in Spain was set in 2022, with 3,060 square kilometers destroyed. There were several years between 1978 and 1994 when forest fires in Spain destroyed more than 4,000 and even up to nearly 5,000 square kilometers of nature.
Neighboring Portugal has also been experiencing forest fires for several days, with a firefighter dying on Sunday during an accident while on duty. On Monday, five major fires were active in the popular tourist destination. More than 3,800 firefighters are fighting these and smaller fires in Portugal. Sparse populated areas in the center of the country are particularly affected.
- The environmental protection policies of the community should address the rising concerns of climate change and its impact on wildfire activity, particularly in Spain and Portugal.
- In the context of environmental science, studying weather patterns, such as prolonged heatwaves and drought conditions, is crucial for understanding the causes of wildfires in the mentioned regions.
- The health and well-being of individuals living in and around the affected areas are at risk due to the increase in air pollution caused by wildfire emissions, stressing the importance of scientific research in weather forecasting for early warning and mitigation measures.
