Sixth-Generation Wildfires Sweep Spain and France, Causing Massive Evacuations and Deaths

In the past week, fires across France and Spain classified as "sixth‑generation" megafires have burned more than 115,000 hectares, forced the evacuation of over 320,000 people and caused 137 deaths in 2024. These fires generate heat fronts exceeding ten megawatts per metre, producing flames up to 60 m high and overwhelming conventional firefighting methods.

Spain expects its 2026 fire season to become the worst on record, with around 180,000 residents affected and roughly 172,000 hectares destroyed in regions such as Ávila, Madrid and Castellón. Experts warn that such extreme wildfires disrupt food supply chains, biodiversity and regional security, and call for stronger prevention technologies and coordinated governance.