What changed
2026-08-03 05:03 UTC → 2026-08-03 08:41 UTC ·
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Early August saw a fresh The early‑August surge of forest‑fire activity across Spain. forest fires continued to dominate Spain’s 2026 fire season. The Burgohondo blaze in Ávila reignited Ávila, which had already scorched more than 50,000 ha, experienced three simultaneous re‑activations on 1 August, prompting August. Emergency alerts forced the Civil Protection authority to evacuate evacuation of the La Picota urbanisation in La Adrada and close urbanisation, but the AV‑930 road. Intensive aerial drops fire was brought back under control and ground crews residents were allowed to return later stabilised that day. Authorities suspect intentional ignition of the fire after it had already scorched more than 50,000 ha. new hotspots and the Junta de Castilla y León opened an investigation. In León, the Veguellina fire near Villafranca del Bierzo was downgraded to a low‑danger IGR‑1 rating, allowing residents permitting the return of evacuees from Moreda, San Pedro de Olleros and Prado de Paradiña to return home. Paradiña. International teams crews from Germany and Serbia remain remained on site, with only a single hot‑spot persisting on while the northern flank. Unidad Militar de Emergencias withdrew. The Senet fire in Vilaller (Lleida) was re‑activated by strong, re‑ignited under storm‑driven winds, producing generating a pyrocumulus that expanded the perimeter and forced firefighters expanding its perimeter; the Generalitat’s bombers intensified aerial drops to adjust tactics. A heavy‑truck keep the blaze on within containment lines. The smaller Ojacastro fire in La Rioja was stabilised at about 11.5 ha. Across Spain, the Autovía de la Plata near Cáceres led season’s total burned area rose to 186,544 ha, far above the preventive evacuation of roughly 800 people from nearby villages. In Villaviciosa de Córdoba, authorities opened an arson investigation after a local man was suspected of deliberately igniting eight small fires that threatened vegetation and an olive grove. Restrictions on bathing 2025 figure. Bathing and navigation at the San Juan reservoir in the Sierra Oeste remain in force prohibited to safeguard protect firefighting access, while smaller incidents such as the 11.5‑ha fire in Ojacastro have been stabilised. The early‑August surge persisted, with the arson probe continuing and the San Juan reservoir closure maintained. German and Serbian crews kept supporting operations, and aerial drops intensified around the re‑activated Senet fire. Spain’s total burned area stays above 186,000 ha for 2026, and evacuation measures remain in place for affected communities. Data from Andalusia show an average of eight fire conatos per day, amounting to 319 small fires between January and July 2026. access.