Spain is battling yet another furious wildfire as local authorities revealed on Sunday that a blaze north of Madrid has ravaged more than 12,000 hectares and forced the evacuation of people from communities in their hundreds.
Earlier in July, one of the deadliest ever wildfires in Spain broke out in the South and firefighters are yet to contain another fire that ignited in the Northeast on Wednesday.
A raging wildfire 100 kilometres (60 miles) north of Madrid has spread and caused several hundred of people to flee as over 12,000 hectares have been ravaged.
The fire that ignited on Sunday in the province of Guadalajara, which encompasses the Sierra Norte Natural Park, has not resulted to any casualties so far, however, has been described as “difficult” by regional president Emiliano Garcia-Page and local authorities on X.
Reacting to the wildfires on X, Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sanchez, made known, his government is “closely” monitoring the “evolution” of the fire in Guadalajara; he said, more than “13,000” hectares is “already burned”.
He expressed his “full recognition” to those battling the fire “tirelessly”.
The wildfire broke out in a forest-covered, mountainous area that is home to species that are endangered such as Eagles, butterflies and Wolves.
It is happening after the blaze that ignited on Wednesday near Zaragoza, in the Northeast, which has ravaged virtually 16,000 hectares, and burning uncontrollably.
A most recent update released by the regional government of Aragon on Saturday evening disclosed, the fire burning near Zaragoza is “far from under control”.
PM Sanchez said: “We are closely following the evolution of the Guadalajara fire, which has already burned more than 13,000 hectares.
“I offer my full recognition to those working tirelessly to protect lives and contain the fire.”
Earlier this month, Spain suffered one of the deadliest wildfires in its history when a fire in the Southern province of Almeria destroyed 7,000 hectares and killed thirteen (13) people.
On the front line of climate change, Spain has suffered increasingly long and constant heat waves in recent years, with temperatures reaching over 40C. This make the environment conducive for wildfires.
PM Sanchez added: “Denying the climate emergency does not make it disappear. It only makes us more vulnerable.”
Photo: Area of forest ravaged by the wildfire, as at Saturday 18 July 2026, in La Mierla, Guadalajara, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain | Mateo Lanzuela/Europa Press via Getty Images
