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Twelve wildfires break out in a single day as Spain's summer blaze crisis deepens
Andalucía hit hardest as experts warn rainy spring followed by intense heat and wind is fuelling fast-spreading fires
Spain braces for another dangerous fire season
Spain is facing a fresh wave of summer wildfires as hot, dry and windy conditions continue to sweep across much of the country. At least a dozen new wildfires broke out across Spain on Tuesday July 22, as the country continues to grapple with a worsening summer fire season. Regions including Madrid, Andalucía, Extremadura, Asturias, Catalonia, Navarra and Castilla y León all reported active outbreaks, adding to others that had been burning since the weekend.
In Madrid, the day began with a scare when flames were spotted near the zoo car park in the Casa de Campo district. The fire, reported just after midnight, came dangerously close to the Batán Metro station and animal enclosures, but was swiftly brought under control by emergency services. Investigators have not ruled out the possibility that it was deliberately started.
Andalucía has been particularly badly affected. In Málaga city, a blaze erupted in the Jarazmín area shortly after 2pm. Firefighters had it stabilised within an hour and fully under control by 6.45pm, thanks to a rapid response involving ground crews and aerial units.
Later in the day, a more complex fire began in the Cortijo Guerrero area of Antequera, also in Málaga province. This one led to the closure of the A-7282 highway and triggered the deployment of an extensive team: helicopters, amphibious planes, earthmovers and dozens of ground personnel were mobilised to tackle the flames.
These fresh fires come after a string of other blazes earlier this month in areas like Madrid, Catalonia, Castilla-La Mancha and the Costa Blanca, some of which led to evacuations and widespread concern. In Toledo, a massive blaze scorched 3,000 hectares of land. Further east, a wildfire in Catalonia sent dense smoke drifting as far as Orihuela Costa, prompting panic among residents. And in Torrevieja, flames erupted alarmingly close to homes near the pink salt lagoon, forcing fire crews to act quickly to stop the spread.
Why are there so many fires this summer?
Experts say the pattern behind this year’s fire outbreaks is no coincidence. A wetter-than-usual spring created dense vegetation and thick undergrowth. Now that summer’s heat has dried all of that out, it has turned into fuel for fast-moving fires.
“What was good for the reservoirs isn’t good now,” explained Pedro Ruiz, head of Madrid’s emergency services. “The grass is very dry, and taller and thicker than in previous years. That makes it much more combustible.”
Strong winds have made matters worse. “The fires we are seeing are moving so fast, they are very difficult to extinguish,” said Jesús Montero, a firefighter in Toledo. He said the combination of dry grasses and intense gusts, fuelled by the arrival of cooler Atlantic air, has created the worst conditions of recent years.
Although fires this year have so far burned just over 31,500 hectares, down from the 64,000 recorded by this point in 2023, experts warn that the season is far from over and that extreme fire behaviour is making containment more difficult than ever.
Forestry professor Víctor Resco said that while the total land burned may still be below the 12-year average, the “aggressiveness” and rapid spread of this year’s fires are cause for concern, as they are much harder to get under control.
More heat is forecast in the weeks ahead, leaving authorities and residents on high alert.
Image: Ylvers/Pixabay
