Wildfires in northern and western Spain, which have burned almost as much land in the past 24 hours as in all of 2024, show signs of stabilising as cooler temperatures and rising humidity offer hope for containment.
The blazes, affecting Extremadura, Galicia, and Castile and Leon, have forced road closures, suspended rail services, and blocked a 50 km section of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail. According to the European Forest Fire Information System, 38,000 hectares (94,000 acres) have burned since Monday, close to last year’s total of 42,000 hectares, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Castile and Leon regional leader Alfonso Fernandez Manueco said, “The evolution is favourable, the teams are stabilising the fires. If weather trends continue, we will be better tomorrow and the day after tomorrow.”
So far this year, an estimated 382,600 hectares—roughly the size of Mallorca—have been destroyed, marking Spain’s largest area affected in records dating back to 2006.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited Extremadura, announcing plans to declare affected areas as emergency zones eligible for reconstruction aid. He also called for turning climate emergency policies into permanent state measures, citing climate change as a key driver of the fires.
Spain has deployed 3,400 troops and 50 aircraft, while countries including France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Slovakia have sent additional firefighters and equipment. Since June, authorities have arrested 32 people and are investigating 93 others for suspected arson.