Catalonia wildfire, heatwave and deaths 2026

In early July 2026 a major forest fire broke out in the Les Gavarres reserve near La Bisbal d’Empordà, prompting interior orders for 45 000 residents and a large multi‑agency response. By late July a separate blaze in the Serra de Roques Codolles near Farrera burned about 30 ha and was declared stabilised, while Catalonia’s INFOCAT fire‑risk plan stayed on high alert for the weekend.

On 26‑27 July the Catalan meteorological service issued orange alerts for torrential rain (up to 20 L/m² in half an hour) and yellow heat alerts with temperatures above 35 °C, also warning of hail. In the high‑mountain Pallars Sobirà a lightning‑sparked fire of roughly 30 ha was stabilised after a response involving 34 fire crews, aerial units and Dutch civil‑protection teams.

A severe heatwave peaked on 24 July, with apparent temperatures reaching 63 °C across the Valencian Community, Catalonia and parts of Andalusia. Official counts recorded 253 heat‑related deaths—136 in Alicante, 73 in Valencia and 44 in Castellón. Meteocat activated yellow and orange warnings for intense rain, hail and flash floods in Garrotxa, Selva and coastal Catalonia, while maintaining heat alerts for several comarques. Tarragona faced combined rain and heat alerts, and Málaga was placed under yellow heat warnings.

Fire activity intensified: the Roques Codolles ridge fire persisted, a lightning‑induced blaze continued in Pallars Sobirà, and a fast‑moving fire in Vall d’Uixó led to evacuations and activation of the emergency unit. Over the summer fire‑related confinement orders have affected more than 140 000 residents.

The Catalan police reinforced the Roses municipal station under the “Pla Helios” plan, adding 82 officers and allocating €800 000 for overtime and anti‑terror measures through September. A chemical leak at the La Canaleta industrial park in Tàrrega forced evacuation of 11 workers, with specialised units containing the incident.