Northeastern Spain Wildfire Burns Over 12,000 Hectares Amid High Spread Risk

A massive wildfire in northeastern Spain has scorched more than 12,000 hectares near Zaragoza, with authorities warning that the risk of its spread remains "very high." The regional government of Aragón described the past night as "very complex and very difficult" as firefighters worked to contain the blaze.

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The night has been very complex, very difficult. At this time, we estimate the burned area is above 12,000 hectares.

This fire has raised alarms across Spain, still reeling from a devastating wildfire in Andalusia last week that claimed 13 lives and destroyed 7,000 hectares. Spain, on the front lines of climate change in Europe, has endured increasingly long and frequent heatwaves with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, creating ideal conditions for forest fires.

Over 450 firefighters, supported by 300 army personnel and about 30 aerial units, are currently combating the Aragón fire, which ignited Wednesday in the sparsely populated municipality of Orés. Five small villages were evacuated. Despite their efforts, the fire remains "very active," and the priority is "to continue guaranteeing the protection of all inhabited areas," according to Roberto Bermúdez de Castro, an official with the Aragonese government.

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The risk of spread continues to be very high, and the priority is to continue guaranteeing the protection of all inhabited areas.

The situation highlights Spain's vulnerability to climate change. In 2025, over 393,000 hectares were lost to fire in Spain, the highest figure in recent history, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). This year alone, 72,488 hectares have already burned. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez acknowledged the escalating climate emergency, predicting a "complex summer" for Spain due to wildfires.

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The effects of the climate emergency are becoming increasingly serious.