Wildfire near Madrid forces evacuations as Spain endures third heatwave
More than 600 firefighters and troops are fighting a blaze north of Madrid that has burned about 30,000 hectares, AFP reported.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
2 min read
Spain is fighting its most destructive wildfire of the year as extreme heat and dry terrain strain crews north of Madrid. AFP reported that the blaze in Guadalajara province has burned about 30,000 hectares and forced roughly 1,200 people from their homes.
More than 600 firefighters and troops, supported by 29 aircraft, were working Tuesday for a sixth day to contain the fire, according to AFP. The blaze is burning about 100 kilometres north of the capital as Spain enters its third heatwave of the year.
Authorities said 34 hamlets have been evacuated, AFP reported. Residents in 14 other districts have been told to remain indoors while crews work to slow the flames.
Strong winds have complicated the response, according to AFP. The fire is moving through dry, abandoned scrubland in a sparsely populated area, conditions that authorities said have made it one of the most difficult blazes they have faced.
Heat adds pressure on crews
Temperatures have reached 40 degrees Celsius, or 104 degrees Fahrenheit, AFP reported. Helicopters and planes have been used to drop water as ground crews try to contain the fire line.
The fire began last Thursday in Guadalajara province, according to AFP. By Tuesday, it had become Spain’s largest wildfire of 2026 by area burned.
Spain has faced a severe wildfire season alongside repeated spells of dangerous heat, AFP reported. Earlier in July, a fire in Almeria killed 13 people, making it one of the country’s deadliest wildfires in recent memory.
Scientists say human-caused climate change is making heatwaves longer, more intense and more frequent, AFP reported. Hotter and drier conditions can leave vegetation more flammable, raising the risk of destructive wildfires.
Recent years have brought heavy fire losses
The European Forest Fire Information System said more than 393,000 hectares burned in Spain in 2025, according to AFP. That marked the highest total in Spain’s recent history.
The latest fire has also highlighted the risk facing rural communities near the capital. AFP reported that the affected area includes small settlements and scrubland where depopulation and dry growth have made firefighting harder.
Authorities have not reported that the Guadalajara fire has caused deaths. Their immediate focus remains evacuations, shelter-in-place orders and the air-and-ground operation to bring the blaze under control, AFP reported.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.