Spain wildfire labour and aid response

In late July 2026 the Spanish government rolled out emergency measures to protect workers and businesses affected by forest‑fire outbreaks.

On 25 July Labour Minister Yolanda Díaz activated labour‑protection mechanisms, granting up to four days paid leave for workers unable to reach their workplace, families evacuated or whose homes were damaged, and allowing employers to use the temporary employment regulation (ERTE) for force‑majeure. Crisis committees and 24‑hour contact points were mandated under the November 2024 royal decree.

On 29 July the Council of Ministers approved a Royal Decree‑Law extending extraordinary Social Security benefits to self‑employed, marine and agricultural freelancers, and companies in municipalities under civil‑protection orders, removing the force‑majeure certificate and 12‑month contribution‑record requirements and providing up to four months of inembargable activity‑cessation benefits. Firms using ERTEs received full exemption from Social Security contributions. Both sets of measures apply to the affected municipalities until the end of the 2026 high‑fire‑danger season.

A day later, as fires intensified in Ávila, the left‑wing union Izquierda Unida urged companies and public administrations to ensure the “climate permit” – a paid‑leave right for emergencies caused by extreme weather – is applied without obstacles for affected employees. The union also highlighted existing bereavement‑leave provisions, which grant up to four days fully paid absence for the death of close relatives, with additional days if travel is required.