Disasters & Incidents
Aragon wildfire has burned more than 12,000 hectares, authorities say
Regional authorities said on 17 July that a major wildfire in northeast Spain had burned more than 12,000 hectares of land after raging for two days, and warned that there was a very high risk it could spread further.
Roberto Bermúdez de Castro, who is responsible for security issues in the regional government of Aragon, said the night had been very difficult and that officials estimated the burned area at more than 12,000 hectares, or 29,650 acres.
More than 450 firefighters, supported by army reinforcements, were fighting the growing blaze near Zaragoza in a sparsely populated part of Aragon. Five small villages have been evacuated.
The fire comes as Spain is still dealing with the aftermath of another wildfire last week in the southern Andalusia region. That fire killed 13 people, including seven Britons and an American, and destroyed 7,000 hectares. It was described in the source as the deadliest such disaster in Spain's recent history.
Aragon has had peak temperatures of up to 40C in recent days. Scientists say human-driven climate change is increasing the length, intensity and frequency of extreme heat, creating conditions that favour the spread of wildfires and make firefighting harder.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said during a visit to fire-damaged Andalusia on Tuesday that Spain faced a complicated summer for wildfires.
Update
Regional authorities warned of a very high risk that the wildfire could spread.
Roberto Bermúdez de Castro, responsible for security issues in Aragon's regional government, said the burned area was estimated at more than 12,000 hectares.
More than 450 firefighters, supported by army reinforcements, were fighting the blaze near Zaragoza.
Five small villages in the sparsely populated part of Aragon have been evacuated.
Peak temperatures of up to 40C have affected Aragon in recent days.
The source links the fire to broader wildfire concerns in Spain after a deadly Andalusia fire the previous week.
Source note: AFP news report published on 17 July 2026 at 09:18:11 UTC.
Update
Regional authorities said the northeast Spain wildfire has destroyed more than 12,000 hectares.
Source note: AFP news report published on 17 July 2026 at 08:52:55 UTC.
Update
Authorities said about 7,600 hectares of forest and farmland had burned.
Five small villages had been evacuated.
Roberto Bermudez de Castro said the fire was one of Aragon's most serious and complex forest fires in years because of high temperatures, low humidity and strong winds.
He said cooler and calmer night conditions could give firefighters a window of opportunity.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed solidarity with affected residents and urged people to follow official instructions.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 July 2026 at 19:38:48 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The burned area is an estimate from regional authorities.
The source does not state when the evacuated villages may be allowed to return.
Source
AFP news report published on .