Spain Battles Fast-Spreading Wildfire North of Madrid

On Sunday, emergency crews continued to battle a rapidly spreading wildfire north of Spain's capital, Madrid. The fire ignited on Thursday in the Guadalajara province, home to the Sierra Norte Natural Park, a forested, mountainous area that shelters endangered species such as eagles and wolves.

According to the newspaper El País, the flames had consumed more than 13,000 hectares by Sunday. Public broadcaster RTVE reported that the fire advanced an additional 14 kilometers overnight. Over 500 firefighters and emergency personnel have been deployed, supported by 25 firefighting aircraft, officials said.

Emiliano Garcia-Page, head of the Castilla-La Mancha regional government, praised the emergency workers on X, stating they "managed to save many lives." Several hundred residents were ordered to evacuate the area. No casualties have been reported so far.

Police arrested a man on Thursday on suspicion of arson, acting on a tip from neighbors.

Spain remains on high alert for summer wildfires as severe drought and low humidity affect much of the country during peak tourist season. Earlier this month, a major wildfire in Almeria province in southern Andalucia killed 13 people, including several foreign nationals.

Another wildfire in the northeastern Zaragoza province, burning since Wednesday, forced the evacuation of more than a thousand residents. Regional authorities warned on Friday the blaze was "far from under control," but on Saturday, Aragón regional head Jorge Azcón said it was the "first day we can breathe a sigh of relief" as the fire was mostly contained.

Since the start of the year, wildfires have destroyed over 80,000 hectares across Spain, nearly double the area burned during the same period last year, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). Scientists attribute the increase to human-caused climate change, which makes heatwaves longer, hotter, and more frequent, drying out landscapes and fueling more destructive fires.