Madrid Wildfire Burns 32,000 Hectares, Second Largest on Record

A massive wildfire near Madrid has devastated approximately 32,000 hectares of land, marking it as the second-largest forest fire recorded in Spain since the central government began tracking such statistics in 1968. The blaze has prompted the evacuation of 1,200 residents from 34 different locations.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Emiliano García-Page, the head of the affected Castilla-La Mancha region, have discussed the situation with firefighters. García-Page expressed cautious optimism, stating that successful efforts to contain the flames suggest the situation may stabilize soon. However, forecasts predict strong winds on Thursday, which could potentially reignite the fire and exacerbate the damage.

Residents from five previously evacuated areas were allowed to return home on Wednesday as the situation improved. The fire, which reportedly started last Thursday, has consumed an area equivalent to about 45,000 football fields. The only larger fire recorded in Spain occurred in 2025 in the regions of Galicia and Castilla y León, burning 38,000 hectares.

Data from the European Earth observation program Copernicus highlights the severity of the wildfire season in Spain. Since the beginning of the year, 123,000 hectares have been scorched across the country. This figure is nearly three times higher than the area affected during the same period in the previous year, indicating a significant increase in fire activity.

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There is reason for 'cautious optimism'.