Spain's central wildfires burn 77,000 hectares, force evacuations of ~90,000
Massive forest fires have ripped through central Spain, scorching roughly 77,000 hectares across the provinces of Madrid, Ávila and Toledo. The blazes, classified as sixth‑generation megaincendios, have prompted the government to declare a state of emergency for the three provinces and to place the operation under the sole command of Lieutenant Colonel Alfonso Arribas of the Unidad Militar de Emergencias (UME).
Around 90,000 people have been affected: 59,896 have been evacuated and 29,867 remain confined to their homes, while an additional 16,000 residents from Castellón have been displaced. Spain has recorded 32 large fires (over 500 ha) this year, six times the number from the same period in 2025, and a total of 152,678 hectares have burned nationwide by 26 July.
European assistance has arrived, with six firefighting aircraft from Greece, Italy and Portugal and Portuguese ground crews deployed under the European Civil Protection Mechanism. Minister for the Ecological Transition Sara Aagesen warned that strong winds and a new heat wave could worsen the situation. In neighbouring France, a separate wildfire near Bordeaux in the Gironde department has consumed about 42,000 hectares, forcing more than 220,000 people to evacuate. Combined, the fires in Spain and France have displaced over 325,000 residents.
Entities: Alfonso Arribas · Gironde region · Ministry for the Ecological Transition (Miteco) · Sara Aagesen · Sixth‑generation megaincendios · Spain · Thomas Cazenave · Unidad Militar de Emergencias (UME) · Ávila province
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 4 SOURCES] Lieutenant Colonel Alfonso Arribas commands the UME operation in the affected provinces.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The burned area is six times larger than the same period in 2025 (24,133 hectares).
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The fires are classified as sixth‑generation megaincendios, noted for extreme intensity and unpredictable behavior.
- [● 8 SOURCES] The national government declared a state of emergency for the provinces of Madrid, Ávila and Toledo. (article)
- [● 2 SOURCES] By 26 July 2026, forest fires in Spain have burned 152,678 hectares.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Spain has recorded 32 large fires (over 500 hectares) in 2026. (article)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Approximately 90,000 people are affected, with 59,896 evacuated and 29,867 confined to homes.
- [● 5 SOURCES] Six firefighting aircraft from Greece, Italy and Portugal were deployed to assist. (article)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Forecasts predict strong winds and a new heat wave that could worsen the fires. (weather forecast)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The fire near Bordeaux in Gironde has burned approximately 42,000 hectares. (article)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Over 325,000 people have been evacuated due to the fires in Spain and France. (article)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] More than 285,000 people have been affected by forest fires in Spain and France. (affected population count)