The unprecedented scale of wildfire destruction in Spain - nearly 4,000km2 have gone up in flames

Nearly 4,000km2 of Spain has been destroyed by wildfires.

SPAIN’S wildfires have already destroyed nearly 4,000 square kilometres of land this year – an unprecedented figure six times higher than the national average.

According to EU Copernicus, Spain suffered one of Europe’s worst wildfire seasons, with 6.5 times the amount of land burning in 2025 than the average historical rate.

Across the EU as a whole, the destruction has reached 16,000 square kilometres – more than four times the normal figure for this point in the year and an area larger than Asturias.

READ MORE 21 major wildfires still active in Spain as Pedro Sanchez promises ‘disaster area’ status

Spain is one of those countries that has been hardest hit by the storms. The country’s losses are now at nearly 400,000 acres.

Spain’s biggest fire is currently raging in Ourense (Galicia), where combined fires have destroyed more than 600 square kilometers of land and forced evacuations.

Castile and Leon has also been badly affected. There are 26 active fires, and 31,000 people have been displaced because of the cut-off in transport.

READ MORE ‘Heartless criminal’ started wild fire in Spain to further ‘business interests’

Extremadura is still fighting major fires in the south. One of these, the Jarilla Fire, has consumed 120 square kilometers.

France and Germany are sending reinforcements because the devastation has been so bad. The German fire truck convoy, consisting of 17 vehicles, and the French deployment, consisting of 12 vehicles with 30 firefighters has joined the operations in Leon and Zamora.

The Spanish army’s emergency unit UME has also been deployed. It uses bulldozers and other heavy equipment to cut firebreaks through the forest.

READ MORE: Spain’s allies ride in: Germany, Italy and even Slovakia send firefighters, planes and helicopters – as flames reach Picos de Europa beauty spot

Despite the recent easing of the heatwave, large swathes of western and southern Spain remain at ‘very high’ or ‘extreme’ risk of new outbreaks, according to AEMET, the national weather agency.

Experts warn the fires this year are unlike any other in history.

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About Liam Bradford

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Liam Bradford, a seasoned news editor with over 20 years of experience, currently based in Spain, is known for his editorial expertise, commitment to journalistic integrity, and advocating for press freedom.

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