LISBON, Portugal (AP) – In response to wildfires ravaging parched woodlands amid persistent scorching weather, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced on Sunday that Spain would deploy an additional 500 soldiers. This addition is on top of the more than 1,400 troops currently engaged in wildfire suppression efforts. The deployment comes as authorities in Spain face challenges in containing the raging forest fires, especially concentrated in the northwestern Galicia region. They are also awaiting promised aircraft reinforcements from other European nations to bolster their efforts.
As reported by Alfonso Rueda, the head of the Galician regional government, firefighters are currently battling 12 major wildfires in Galicia, all occurring near the city of Ourense. Rueda indicated in a press conference alongside Sánchez that the ongoing situation poses a significant threat to homes, prompting enforced lockdowns and evacuations in affected areas. Galicia has experienced the ongoing wildfire crisis for over a week.
The Spanish national weather agency AEMET predicted that temperatures in Spain could soar to 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) on Sunday. On the previous day, the southern city of Cordoba recorded a maximum temperature of 44.7 degrees Celsius (112.46 degrees Fahrenheit). AEMET warned on the social media platform X that with these extraordinarily high temperatures, the fire risk across most parts of the country is deemed extreme.
This year, wildfires in Spain have destroyed approximately 158,000 hectares (390,000 acres) of land, a size comparable to that of metropolitan London. The European Union's European Forest Fire Information System highlights these alarming figures. Since the 1980s, Europe has been warming at twice the global average rate, according to the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service. Scientists attribute this phenomenon to climate change, which is believed to intensify the frequency and severity of heat and dryness, heightening the vulnerability of various regions to wildfires.
Spain is set to receive further support, including the arrival of two Dutch water-dumping planes. These aircraft are expected to join forces already aiding Spanish authorities from France and Italy under a cooperative agreement within the EU. Spain's Civil Protection Agency chief, Virginia Barcones, informed the public broadcaster RTVE that firefighters from other countries are also anticipated to arrive in the region shortly. Meanwhile, Renfe, Spain's national rail operator, announced the suspension of high-speed train services between Madrid and Galicia due to the ongoing fire situation.
Galician officials have advised residents to don face masks and limit outdoor activities to minimize inhalation of smoke and ash from the fires. In Portugal, however, forecasts indicate cooler weather on the horizon following a severe spell of woodland fires. A national state of alert regarding wildfires, which was enacted on August 2, was set to conclude on Sunday, coinciding with the arrival of two Swedish firefighting planes.
As in Spain, Portugal's firefighting resources have been stretched thin. On Sunday, more than 4,000 firefighters operated alongside 1,300 vehicles and 17 aircraft, as reported by the country's Civil Protection Agency. Preliminary calculations from the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests indicate that the area scorched by fires in Portugal this year is 17 times greater than in 2024, totaling around 139,000 hectares.
Moreover, Greece, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Albania have recently sought assistance from the EU's firefighting division to combat forest fires. This firefighting force has already been activated more frequently throughout this summer than during the entirety of last year's fire season.
In Turkey, wildfires have claimed the lives of 19 individuals, prompting evacuations in historic areas, including the Gallipoli memorials from World War I. The governor of Canakkale province, Omer Toraman, reported that six villages were evacuated as a precautionary measure due to blazes threatening nearby homes. Approximately 1,300 firefighting personnel, supported by 30 aircraft, are actively battling these fires, according to Turkey's General Directorate of Forestry. Recent wildfires in Turkey, fueled by record-breaking temperatures, dry conditions, and strong winds, have resulted in hundreds of fire outbreaks since late June.
