Spain Faces Severe Wildfire Threat as Heatwave Persists

Wed Oct 22 2025 17:09:59 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Spain's Prime Minister warns of "extreme risk" as emergency services combat multiple wildfires exacerbated by soaring temperatures.

As the nation endures a severe heatwave, the risk of new wildfires looms, with firefighters currently battling 14 major blazes across the country, resulting in significant devastation and loss of life.

Spain is grappling with an intensified wildfire threat, with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez issuing a warning about "extreme risk" conditions. Firefighters are engaged in combating 14 major blazes, with forecasts indicating challenging conditions persisting on Friday as temperatures could soar as high as 40°C (104°F) along the north coast. The national weather agency Aemet has reported that more than 1,500 square kilometers (579 square miles) have already been scorched, resulting in seven fatalities.

This week's oppressive heatwave has swept across southeastern Europe, leading to widespread wildfires in countries like Spain, Portugal, Greece, France, and regions of the Balkans. In Galicia, multiple wildfires have merged into large infernos, prompting the closure of highways and rail lines, a situation worsened by the lack of rainfall and heightened temperatures.

According to the emergency aerial services operator Avincis, flight hours dedicated to firefighting operations in Spain and Portugal have surged by 50% compared to last year, illustrating the increasing severity and frequency of such disasters. The heatwave is anticipated to last until Monday, with places experiencing temperatures nearing 44°C (111°F) alongside moderate winds that can fuel further blazes.

Spain's Civil Guard has taken significant steps against arson, arresting two men suspected of deliberately starting fires in Castille and León, bringing the total number of arrests to 10 since early June. Triggering a wildfire, even accidentally, is a serious criminal offense according to Spanish law, with common causes ranging from discarded cigarette stubs to improperly extinguished barbecues.

In the wake of these alarming conditions, Spain has become the fifth European nation to seek assistance for combating wildfires, with Greece similarly experiencing severe back-to-back infernos, including one on the island of Chios that has left much of the infrastructure damaged and residents without electricity for days.

As the EU activates its civil protection mechanism, several nations including Greece, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Albania are uniting to tackle the harrowing impacts of these wildfires, emphasizing the urgency and interconnectedness of the climate crisis facing Europe today.