Spain and Portugal Struggle to Contain Devastating Wildfires

Spain and Portugal Struggle to Contain Devastating Wildfires

Thousands of firefighters, supported by military personnel and aircraft, are battling over 20 major wildfires across western Spain, where officials report a record-breaking amount of land has already been scorched.

Southern Europe, particularly Spain and Portugal, has been hit hard by wildfires intensified by extreme heat and drought conditions linked to climate change.

Tragically, two firefighters—one in each country—died in road accidents on Sunday, bringing the total fatalities to four in Spain and two in Portugal.

Spanish civil protection chief Virginia Barcones stated that 23 fires are at “operational level two,” posing immediate danger to nearby communities. The worst-hit areas include Castile and Leon, Galicia, and Extremadura, where thousands have been evacuated.

Locals expressed anger over what they see as inadequate response and resources. In Galicia’s Vilamartin de Valdeorras, resident Patricia Vila lamented the lack of aerial firefighting support.

The devastation is widespread, with forests reduced to ash, homes destroyed, and thick smoke blanketing entire regions. Residents have resorted to using buckets and hoses to fight the flames alongside professional crews.

Spain has lost over 343,000 hectares to fire this year—surpassing its previous record of 306,000 hectares. International aid has arrived, with firefighting aircraft from France, Italy, Slovakia, and the Netherlands assisting Spain, while Portugal receives help from Sweden and Morocco.

However, the scale of the fires and dense smoke—visible from space—are hampering aerial operations, according to Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles.

In Portugal, around 2,000 firefighters are deployed, with half concentrated in Arganil. The country has seen 216,000 hectares destroyed so far this year. Prime Minister Luis Montenegro described the situation as a war against nature, driven by relentless heat and wind.

Authorities in both nations hope for relief as Spain’s meteorological agency predicts the end of the heat wave, which has pushed temperatures to 45°C.

Among the casualties are a firefighter in Castile and Leon whose truck overturned, a Romanian worker who died trying to save horses near Madrid, and a former mayor in Guarda, Portugal, who perished while fighting a blaze.