Spain battles latest in series of major wildfires near Madrid

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing AFP, reports that hundreds of firefighters and military personnel are battling a major wildfire in Guadalajara province, north of Madrid, during Spain’s third heatwave of the summer. The blaze, which had been burning for six days by Tuesday, July 21, has scorched about 30,000 hectares and is described as Spain’s most destructive wildfire so far this year.

According to the report, more than 600 firefighters and troops, supported by 29 aircraft, have been deployed as helicopters and planes work to contain the flames. About 1,200 residents have been evacuated, 34 hamlets have been cleared, and people in 14 additional districts have been told to remain indoors. The fire is affecting a sparsely populated area around 100 kilometres north of the capital.

Officials said strong winds, high temperatures, and dry, unmanaged scrubland have made the operation especially difficult. Forecasts cited in the report put temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, adding pressure on emergency crews and increasing the risk of further fire spread.

The Guadalajara blaze comes after other severe fires in Spain this summer, including one in Almeria earlier in July that Al Jazeera reported killed 13 people. The report also notes the broader climate context: scientists say human-driven climate change is making heatwaves longer, more intense and more frequent, which dries vegetation and heightens wildfire danger. Spain also experienced extensive fire damage in 2025, when the European Forest Fire Information System recorded more than 393,000 hectares burned.