Spain Battles Unprecedented Wildfire Crisis, Thousands Evacuated

As of August 19th, 2025, Spain is enduring its most devastating wildfire season since records began. The crisis follows a searing 16-day heatwave that sent temperatures soaring above 45°C, leaving much of the country tinder-dry. Official figures show there were 1,149 excess deaths in Spain from August 3-18, which experts believe could be linked to the heatwaves.

The wildfires have consumed more than 382,000 hectares of land, more than twice the size of London. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has warned that "difficult hours remain" as exhausted emergency crews continue battling the infernos that have destroyed villages, severed rail links, and forced mass evacuations across the country.

Firefighters have been deployed across hard-hit regions, supported by soldiers and a fleet of aircraft brought in under the European Union's civil protection mechanism. Four people have lost their lives, including a firefighter killed in a road accident, while others remain hospitalized with serious injuries. Authorities suspect arson in a number of incidents, with 27 people arrested and dozens more under investigation.

The prime minister has demanded a cross-party pact to confront what he calls the worsening "climate emergency." This marks Spain's worst-ever fire season since records began in 2006, eclipsing the previous record set in 2022 when 306,000 hectares were burned.