As It Happened: France, Spain Tackle Major Wildfires
The environment ministry counted 35 large fires and nearly 90,000 evacuations as Spain requested EU aerial support and investigators probed suspected negligence.
- On Tuesday, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's cabinet meets to declare fire-ravaged areas disaster zones after Spain's record season destroyed 172,396 hectares since January 1, six times the 2025 total.
- The largest recorded blaze, beginning July 22 at Burgohondo, consumed 50,000 hectares after operators used heavy machinery lacking administrative permits and required extinguishing equipment during a regional ban, the Guardia Civil stated.
- Almost 90,000 people face evacuation across Madrid, Ávila, and Toledo while 13 died in Andalusia. Spain activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism on July 24, requesting aerial support from Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Turkey.
- Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez relaunched his climate emergency pact on July 27 with Sara Aagesen, third deputy prime minister and ecological transition minister. Cuca Gamarra, the People's Party's deputy secretary for institutional regeneration, dismissed it as "marketing."
- The Congress of Deputies rejected the government's deficit targets for a second time on July 23, signaling political instability. With the 2023 budget rolled over for a third year, corruption allegations continue shadowing the executive's term.
39 Articles
39 Articles
France and Spain wildfires are the new reality
The normally idyllic landscapes of rural France and Spain now look closer to hell. Multiple aggressive wildfires have been sweeping through regions of both countries for weeks, filling the skies with toxic smoke, endangering lives and stretching firefighting services.About 90 percent of wildfires ar
While the first successes in the fight against the massive forest fires are emerging in France and Spain, the concern for a further worsening of the situation in the face of another impending heat wave is growing. It is the most severe situation caused by fires in France since the Second World War, President Emmanuel Macron said. Commentators are also concerned and discuss necessary measures.
The situation was beginning to improve, on Tuesday 28 July 2026 in Spain, where Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he saw "the light at the end of the tunnel." But a new heat wave is taking place and the National Meteorological Agency (Aemet) warns about extreme risks of fire. Spain, in particular, has triggered the European Civil Protection Mechanism. José Manuel Albares, the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, believes that the European Union…
It continues live the last hour of the fires in Spain. Emergency teams continue to work to consolidate the main active fronts while assessing damage and monitoring possible reactivations
Firefighters continue to fight flames in France and Spain, so high temperatures are expected in both countries on Wednesday.
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