Wildfire in Spain Destroys 13,000 Hectares, Thousands Evacuated
A wildfire burning since Thursday about 100 km northeast of Madrid has destroyed 13,000 hectares and forced the evacuation of some 8,000 people in 20 municipalities, Spanish authorities said Sunday.
A wildfire that has been raging since Thursday in Guadalajara province, about 100 kilometers northeast of Madrid, has scorched approximately 13,000 hectares, Spanish authorities reported on Sunday.
The flames originated in a wooded, mountainous area. According to broadcaster RTVE, the fire advanced 14 kilometers overnight. More than 500 firefighters and emergency personnel worked to establish firebreaks. Regional environment minister Mercedes Gomez said these measures prevented the fire from spreading to nearby populated areas.
As a precaution, authorities evacuated 20 municipalities, displacing about 8,000 people. Drought and heat have created a high risk of wildfires in Spain.
Meanwhile, a separate wildfire that broke out Thursday near Oresa in northeastern Aragon has been largely contained. It burned approximately 14,400 hectares, local officials said.
Since the beginning of the year, wildfires in Spain have destroyed more than 80,000 hectares — nearly double the area burned in the same period last year, according to data from the European Forest Fire Information System.
In early July, Spain experienced one of its deadliest forest fires in recent history. A fire in Almeria province killed 13 people and burned 7,000 hectares.
