Spain battles twin wildfires as 50,000-hectare toll hits economy
Two major wildfires have pushed Spain’s burned area to 50,000 hectares this year, threatening rural communities and dealing a heavy blow to agricultural land.
Two major wildfires are ravaging central and northeastern Spain, forcing the evacuation of dozens of villages and pushing the national wildfire toll to roughly 50,000 hectares. Emergency services are currently focused on a blaze near La Mierla in Guadalajara province and a second near Orés in Zaragoza province.
The La Mierla fire, which began on Thursday about 100 kilometres north-east of Madrid, has destroyed nearly 9,900 hectares. Authorities suspect it started during agricultural work involving a combine harvester, an allegation now under investigation by Spain’s Civil Guard. Sixteen villages and surrounding areas have been evacuated as the fire displays extreme behaviour, advancing at more than 60 metres per minute due to strong south-westerly winds.
In Zaragoza, the Orés wildfire has burned more than 15,400 hectares, prompting the evacuation of five villages and placing four more on high alert. Around 450 emergency personnel are battling the blaze, working to protect nearby communities and the Sierra de Santo Domingo natural area. Fire officials noted that less severe weather overnight allowed crews to deploy additional aircraft and ground teams.
These twin disasters underscore a devastating wildfire season that is inflicting significant damage on Spain's rural economy and public infrastructure. With 18 major wildfires recorded this year, the roughly 50,000 hectares burned is almost three times the area affected during the same period in 2025. The loss of land on this scale represents a substantial economic setback for the country's agricultural and forestry sectors.
While the Guadalajara and Zaragoza blazes remain the most destructive, emergency resources are stretched thin across the country. Firefighters are still tackling active blazes near Plan and Fiscal in Huesca, as well as Laujar de Andarax in Almería and Purullena in Granada. Residents of Árchez in Málaga have only just been allowed to return home, and a separate fire near Lozoyuela in the Madrid region was recently brought under control after burning more than 700 hectares.
