Spain reports nearly 400,000 hectares burned and 37 arrests due to fires

By&nbspEuronews

Published on 21/08/2025 - 5:52 GMT+2

The humid upwind and rainfall person provided immoderate alleviation to Spanish authorities successful their conflict against nan fires that person been ravaging overmuch of nan state for weeks, astatine a clip erstwhile much than 391,000 hectares person already been burned truthful acold this year, according to information from nan European Forest Fire Information System.

Although 40 fires are still progressive crossed nan country, caller rain, particularly successful nan state of León, could thief firefighters power nan business there, allowing authorities to attraction their efforts connected different areas.

On Wednesday, nan president of nan Castile and León region, Alfonso Fernández Mañueco, said that firefighting efforts are progressing favourably acknowledgment to improved upwind conditions.

Mañueco besides presented an assistance scheme for those affected, which includes €500 successful assistance for those who person had to evacuate their homes and up to €185,000 for those who person mislaid their homes to nan flames.

The business successful Castile and León is progressing "significantly" and favourably, arsenic indicated by nan president of nan autonomous community, partially acknowledgment to nan alteration successful upwind conditions, which person improved significantly.

"Conditions are favourable and important advancement is being made successful extinguishing nan fire," Mañueco reported, emphasising that "when circumstances allow, nan cognition useful effectively."

Fires successful Galicia person ravaged small, sparsely populated towns, forcing locals successful galore cases to measurement successful earlier firefighters arrive.

Firefighting units from Germany arrived successful bluish Spain connected Tuesday to thief conflict nan blazes, Spain's Interior Ministry announced. More than 20 vehicles were deployed to thief conflict an ongoing blaze successful Jarilla successful nan Extremadura region that borders Portugal, nan ministry said.

In Galicia, onshore guidance has besides played a role. Large stretches of unmanaged vegetation and depopulated villages successful forested onshore person led to nan buildup of wildfire fuel, said Adrian Regos, an ecologist astatine nan Biological Mission of Galicia, a investigation institute.

Air value deteriorated crossed ample parts of Spain complete nan past week arsenic a consequence of nan wildfires, information from nan EU’s Copernicus ambiance monitoring agency showed. Smoke from nan Iberian Peninsula fires reached France, nan UK, and Scandinavia, it said.

Several fires person been caused by quality activity. Police person detained 37 group for suspected arson and are investigating 89 more, Spain's Civil Guard said Tuesday.

In Portugal, much than 3,700 firefighters were tackling blazes, including 4 awesome ones successful nan northbound and centre.

Wildfires location person burned astir 235,000 hectares, according to EFFIS — astir 5 times much than nan 2006-2024 mean for this period. Two group location person died.

Europe has been warming doubly arsenic accelerated arsenic nan world mean since nan 1980s, according to Copernicus. Scientists opportunity that ambiance alteration is exacerbating nan wave and strength of power and dryness successful parts of Europe, making nan region much susceptible to wildfires.