Spain is in the throes of one of its most devastating wildfire seasons in decades, with more than 20 major blazes raging across the country as of August 18, 2025. Fueled by a relentless, three-week heatwave, the fires have left a trail of destruction from Galicia in the northwest to the Picos de Europa mountain range. The crisis has prompted an urgent national and international response, with the Spanish government deploying an additional 500 soldiers—bringing the total number of troops battling the flames to over 1,900—and European allies sending reinforcements to bolster firefighting efforts.
According to Idealista News, Defence Minister Margarita Robles described the current situation as unprecedented for Spain’s Military Emergencies Unit, which has not faced anything of this magnitude in its 20-year history. Robles pointed to climate change as a key factor behind the unusual characteristics and ferocity of this year’s fires. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez echoed these concerns at a news conference in Ourense, one of the regions hardest hit by the blazes, warning, “There are still some challenging days ahead and, unfortunately, the weather is not on our side.”
The numbers paint a grim picture. In just the past week leading up to August 17, wildfires in Spain claimed four lives—including two firefighters and two volunteers—and forced the displacement of thousands of residents. Over 120 people remain confined to residential centers in Rubiá and Carballeda de Avia in Galicia as a precaution against the encroaching flames and dense smoke, Idealista News reported. The fires have also destroyed more than 115,000 hectares of land, with the total burnt area rising daily as conditions worsen.
Infrastructure has not been spared. At least 12 roads have been closed, and Spain’s national rail operator Renfe suspended all train services between Galicia and Madrid. Even the famed Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail has been partially shut down due to the threat posed by the fires—a blow to both local communities and the country’s cultural heritage.
The northwestern region of Galicia has emerged as one of the most severely affected areas, with over ten active fires converging to form massive blazes. The situation is so dire that highways and railways leading into the region have been forced to close, leaving some communities isolated and struggling to cope. In the village of Villardevos, desperate residents have taken matters into their own hands, forming makeshift brigades to fight the flames with buckets of water. “The fireplanes come in from all sides, but they don’t come here,” resident Basilio Rodriguez told Reuters on Saturday. Lorea Pascual, another local, summed up the despair: “It’s insurmountable, it couldn’t be worse.”
Beyond Galicia, the fires have spread into the Picos de Europa National Park, threatening both communities and the rich biodiversity of the region. In the Valdeón Valley on the park’s Leonese side, eight towns have been ordered to evacuate. Yet, some residents have refused to leave, choosing instead to stay behind and help protect their homes and landscapes. This determination is mirrored in other affected areas, where locals are working alongside professional firefighters and military personnel to stem the advance of the flames.
Spain’s national weather agency, AEMET, has played a critical role in monitoring and warning about the extreme conditions. Over the past week, a quarter of all weather stations recorded temperatures above 40°C (104°F), with one in eight reaching at least 42°C (107.6°F). The highest temperature, a blistering 45.8°C (114.4°F), was recorded in Cádiz on Sunday, August 17. These extraordinary conditions have led AEMET to issue warnings of “very high or extreme fire danger” for most of the peninsula, making firefighting operations even more perilous.
Despite the overwhelming natural forces at play, human activity remains a significant contributor to the crisis. Since June, Spanish authorities have arrested 27 people and placed 92 under investigation for suspected arson, according to the Interior Ministry. The Civil Guard recently detained two men on suspicion of starting fires in Castille and León—blazes that have since scorched thousands of hectares. Officials warn that even seemingly minor acts, like discarding a cigarette butt or leaving glass bottles in dry grass, can spark catastrophic wildfires under these tinderbox conditions.
International support has begun to arrive. The Netherlands is sending two water-dumping planes to join other European Union aircraft already assisting Spanish crews. This cross-border cooperation is critical, as the wildfire emergency is not confined to Spain. Neighboring Portugal is also grappling with widespread blazes, with thousands of firefighters battling eight major fires in central and northern regions. Provisional data from Portugal’s ICNF forestry protection institute indicate that some 155,000 hectares have burned so far this year—three times the average for the period between 2006 and 2024. About half of this area was lost in just the past three days, and Portugal has activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism while extending its national alert.
The human toll in Portugal has also risen. On August 16, a resident died in a fire east of Trancoso—the first fatality of the season there. With the fires showing little sign of abating, both Spanish and Portuguese authorities are bracing for more challenging days ahead, even as forecasts suggest a possible drop in temperatures starting Tuesday, August 19.
Virginia Barcones, director general of emergency services, told Spanish public TV that while a change in the weather may bring relief, the situation remains critical for now. “Today there are extremely high temperatures with an extreme risk of fires, which complicates the firefighting efforts,” she said.
The causes of this year’s crisis are complex, but the impact of climate change is hard to ignore. According to Idealista News, Defence Minister Robles explicitly linked the unprecedented scale and intensity of the fires to a changing climate. The combination of hotter, drier summers and increased human activity is creating the perfect storm for wildfires—one that is testing the resilience of communities, emergency services, and ecosystems across southern Europe.
As Spain battles on, the courage and solidarity of its people stand out. From villagers fighting flames with buckets to international teams arriving with aircraft and expertise, the response is as multifaceted as the challenge itself. But with thousands displaced, lives lost, and vast swathes of land scorched, the scars of this wildfire season will linger long after the last flames are extinguished.
