Disasters & Incidents
Firefighters say wildfire north of Madrid has burned 26,000 hectares
Firefighters said a wildfire north of Madrid has burned 26,000 hectares, or 65,000 acres.
An earlier account from Spanish authorities had put the burned area at about 13,000 hectares, or 32,000 acres, and said around 700 residents had been evacuated. That earlier account said the fire broke out on Thursday in Guadalajara province during very hot weather, and that around 300 firefighters, 36 firefighting vehicles, 20 aircraft and two drones had been deployed.
Update
Firefighters said the wildfire north of Madrid has burned 26,000 hectares, or 65,000 acres.
Source note: AFP news report published on 20 July 2026 at 10:47:53 UTC.
Update
Authorities said the Guadalajara wildfire has burned around 13,000 hectares and forced about 700 residents to evacuate.
About 300 firefighters and 26 water-dropping aircraft were working to contain the blaze.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the government was closely monitoring the fire and thanked firefighters.
Regional leader Emiliano García-Page described the fire as difficult.
The fire area includes the Sierra Norte Natural Park, which is home to endangered species including eagles, wolves and butterflies.
A separate wildfire near Zaragoza has burned around 14,400 hectares, revised down from an earlier estimate of about 16,000 hectares.
Aragon’s deputy regional president María del Mar Vaquero said emergency services would decide when residents of five evacuated villages could return home.
No casualties have been reported in the fires described in the latest report.
An earlier wildfire this month in Almeria killed 13 people and destroyed around 7,000 hectares.
Source note: AFP news report published on 19 July 2026 at 16:54:19 UTC.
Update
Regional president Emiliano Garcia-Page and local authorities described the fire as difficult.
The fire broke out in a forest-covered mountainous area that is home to endangered species including eagles, wolves and butterflies.
A separate blaze near Zaragoza has burned nearly 16,000 hectares and was described by Aragon's regional government as far from under control on Saturday evening.
A wildfire earlier in July in Almeria killed 13 people and destroyed 7,000 hectares.
The source includes context on heatwaves, climate change and wildfire risk in Spain.
Source note: AFP news report published on 19 July 2026 at 09:23:57 UTC.
Update
The wildfire is about 100 kilometres north of Madrid.
Several hundred people have been forced to evacuate.
The fire started on Thursday in Guadalajara province.
The affected province includes the Sierra Norte Natural Park.
Authorities said no casualties had been reported so far.
Regional president Emiliano Garcia-Page and local authorities described the fire as difficult on X.
Source note: AFP news report published on 19 July 2026 at 08:57:27 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The new source item does not give the current evacuation status, containment status, cause of the fire, or damage to homes or infrastructure.
Source
AFP news report published on .