Major Wildfires Continue as Spain Battles Record-Breaking Season
usagevpn.com – Major wildfires continue as Spain faces one of its most challenging fire seasons in recent memory. Two significant blazes remain active across north-eastern and central Spain, with emergency services concentrating their efforts on a devastating fire near La Mierla in Guadalajara province and another substantial blaze near Orés in Zaragoza province. Together, these fires have become among the country’s most destructive wildfires this year. The fire near La Mierla, located approximately 100 kilometres north-east of Madrid, ignited on Thursday and has already consumed nearly 13,000 hectares of land, according to the latest official statistics released by Spanish authorities.
During the early hours of Sunday, firefighting crews focused their attention on two critical areas. Teams directly attacked the southern edge of the La Mierla blaze near Gascueña de Bornova, while other crews worked tirelessly to protect the villages of Navas de Jadraque and Bustares. Authorities have now evacuated 16 villages and surrounding areas, including communities situated near the Beleña reservoir, as the fire continues to threaten residential zones.
Extreme Fire Behaviour Driven by Strong Winds
Officials in the Castilla-La Mancha region reported that the fire is displaying extreme behaviour, driven by powerful south-westerly winds that are pushing the flames forward. They stated that the flames are advancing at more than 60 metres per minute, which is well above the threshold at which a wildfire is considered difficult to bring under control. Spain’s Civil Guard is currently investigating the cause of the fire, with authorities believing it may have started during agricultural work involving a combine harvester.
Meanwhile, the wildfire near Orés in Spain’s north-eastern Zaragoza province has burned more than 15,400 hectares of land. Fire officials reported that the blaze showed favourable behaviour overnight, allowing crews to deploy additional aircraft and ground teams as weather conditions were expected to be less severe than in recent days. The villages of Orés, Asín, Luesia, Malpica de Arba and Uncastillo remain under evacuation orders, while residents in Sos del Rey Católico, Navardún, Urriés and Castiliscar have been placed on alert.
“Around 450 firefighters and emergency personnel are involved in the operation, closely monitoring changing winds to prevent flare-ups and protect nearby communities and the Sierra de Santo Domingo natural area,” said an Aragón emergency spokesperson.
Aragón’s 112 emergency service also dismissed online rumours that tractors were needed to help tackle the Orés wildfire, saying the claims were false. The two blazes are part of what has become one of Spain’s most severe wildfire seasons in recent years. Around 70,000 hectares have burned across the country so far this year, with authorities recording 18 major wildfires, almost three times the area affected during the same period in 2025. Several other fires remain active across different regions.
In the northern province of Huesca, firefighters continue to battle a blaze near the town of Plan, although its spread slowed overnight. Another wildfire near Fiscal has been largely stabilised. In southern Spain, firefighters are also tackling blazes near Laujar de Andarax, in Almería province, and Purullena, in Granada province, with officials reporting favourable progress at the latter location.
Elsewhere, residents evacuated from the village of Árchez in Málaga province have been allowed to return home after a nearby wildfire was stabilised. Authorities in the Madrid region have also brought a wildfire near Lozoyuela under control after it burned more than 700 hectares. As major wildfires continue as Spain works to contain these fires, meteorologists are monitoring weather patterns that could influence fire behaviour in the coming days.
