Wildfire in Empordà, Spain Kills Four and Burns Over 19,000 Hectares

A massive wildfire swept through the Empordà region of Catalonia under a combination of extreme heat, zero humidity and strong tramontana winds. The blaze burned approximately 19,600 hectares of forest and scrubland, reaching the coast at Cap de Creus and the town of Cadaqués.

Four people died in the incident, including three occupants of a French hydroplane that was assisting firefighting efforts. The fire also injured four firefighters on the ground. The disaster echoes previous large fires in the area, notably the 1986 blaze that crossed from France and the 2012 and 2021 fires that each caused significant ecological and human losses.

Authorities continue to battle the flames and assess the damage to the region's natural habitats and tourism infrastructure.