Wildfire in Guadalajara province burns 13,000 hectares as Spain battles multiple blazes
A man has been arrested on suspicion of arson as severe drought conditions fuel a series of destructive wildfires across Spain, compounding recent tragedies in Almeria and Zaragoza.
Emergency crews are battling a fast-spreading wildfire in Guadalajara province, located north of Madrid, which has consumed more than 13,000 hectares over three days. The blaze, which began on Thursday, has advanced significantly, with public broadcaster RTVE reporting that flames moved a further 14 kilometres overnight. To contain the fire, authorities have deployed more than 500 firefighters and emergency personnel, supported by 25 firefighting aircraft.
The affected area includes the Sierra Norte Natural Park, a forest-covered, mountainous region that serves as a habitat for endangered species such as eagles and wolves. Several hundred residents have been ordered to evacuate the zone. Police arrested a man on Thursday on suspicion of starting the fire, acting on a tip-off from neighbours, though the exact cause remains under investigation.
Emiliano Garcia-Page, the head of the Castilla-La Mancha regional government, acknowledged the efforts of emergency workers in a statement on X, noting that they had "managed to save many lives." The incident occurs amid severe drought conditions and low humidity, which have placed Spain on high alert for summer wildfires during the peak tourism season.
This event follows a series of significant fire incidents across the country. Earlier this month, a wildfire in Almeria province in southern Andalucia killed 13 people and destroyed 7,000 hectares. Additionally, a separate fire in Zaragoza province in northeastern Spain has been burning since Wednesday, forcing the evacuation of over 1,000 residents. While regional head Jorge Azcon reported on Saturday that the Zaragoza fire was "mostly contained," the regional government had previously warned it was "far from under control."
Data from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) indicates that wildfires have destroyed more than 80,000 hectares across Spain since the beginning of the year. This figure is nearly double the area burned during the same period last year. Scientists attribute the increased frequency and destructiveness of these fires to human-caused climate change, which leads to longer, hotter, and more frequent heatwaves that dry out landscapes.
