Spain Battles Record Wildfires as Heatwave Eases

Tone & Political Bias: Center, fact-based

Why: The reporting focuses on events, data, and official sources without opinionated framing or partisan language.

Fires Spread Despite Lower Temperatures

Spain is facing one of its most destructive wildfire seasons in recent decades. On Tuesday, thousands of firefighters, supported by soldiers and aircraft, continued to battle large blazes across the country. Temperatures have fallen after weeks of extreme heat, but Spain’s national weather agency AEMET reported that fire risk remains “very high or extreme” in many areas, especially in Galicia in the northwest.

Galicia and Extremadura Among Hardest Hit

The Galicia region has seen some of the most severe fires. Small, rural towns have been ravaged, with residents in some cases taking action themselves before official firefighting teams could arrive. In the Extremadura region, on the border with Portugal, German firefighting units joined Spanish forces. More than 20 vehicles were deployed to help fight an ongoing blaze in Jarilla, according to Spain’s Interior Ministry.

Prime Minister’s Visit

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was scheduled to visit Jarilla on Tuesday. His visit underscores the national scale of the crisis and the government’s efforts to coordinate the response.

Human Cost and Scale of Damage

So far in 2025, wildfires in Spain have killed four people and burned over 382,000 hectares — about 1,475 square miles. This figure, tracked by the European Union’s European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), shows an area destroyed more than twice the size of metropolitan London.

Role of Arson and Human Activity

Spanish police reported that many fires were caused by human activity. Authorities have detained 23 people on suspicion of arson and are investigating another 89 cases.

Portugal Also Struggles with Fires

Neighboring Portugal is facing a similar crisis. More than 3,700 firefighters are deployed there, battling several large blazes in the north and center of the country.EFFIS data shows that Portugal has lost about 235,000 hectares (907 square miles) to fires this year. This is nearly five times the 2006–2024 average for the same period. Two people have died.

Climate Change Driving Fire Risk

Europe is warming twice as fast as the global average, according to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. Scientists link climate change to rising heat and dryness across the continent, increasing the frequency and intensity of wildfires. The Iberian Peninsula, already prone to summer fires, has become especially vulnerable.

Key Numbers at a Glance

Spain: 382,000 hectares burned, 4 deaths, 23 arson arrests
Portugal: 235,000 hectares burned, 2 deaths, nearly 5 times the average burn area
Europe: Warming at double the global rate since the 1980s

This wildfire season highlights how changing climate patterns, human activity, and cross-border cooperation are shaping Europe’s fight against one of its most destructive natural threats in recent decades.