Spain is enduring a night of terror. A devastating wave of wildfires, the worst of the summer, is raging relentlessly, leaving a trail of destruction. Two people have lost their lives, thousands have been forced to leave their homes, and several regions are battling a fiery inferno, further fueled by an extreme heatwave and strong winds. Galicia, Castile and León, and Extremadura are particularly affected. In the last 24 hours, the fire has consumed over 25,000 hectares of precious nature.
The Tragic Toll: Two Dead and Numerous Injured
The uncontrollable flames have already claimed two lives and injured dozens, some of them seriously. In Tres Cantos (Madrid), Mircea, a 50-year-old stable hand, died after suffering burns to 98% of his body while trying to rescue over twenty horses from a burning equestrian center. Eyewitnesses report his heroic struggle before he himself was rescued from a rooftop.
The second victim is a volunteer in Zamora (Castile and León) who was assisting with firefighting efforts. He, along with another person who suffered severe burns, was trapped by two unexpectedly converging tongues of fire. His selfless act cost him his life.
Mass Evacuations in Castile and León: An Exodus from the Flames
The province of León is witnessing one of the largest evacuation operations in recent history. A total of 4,345 people from 23 localities have been brought to safety due to the uncontrollable fire in Molezuelas. The displaced, from municipalities such as Quintanilla de Flórez, Palacios de Jamuz, and Villanueva de Jamuz, have been housed in Red Cross emergency shelters in La Bañeza and Astorga. The situation in El Bierzo, near the UNESCO World Heritage site of Las Médulas, remains critical; control over the fire’s perimeter dropped from 80% to a worrying 60% due to weather conditions.
Other Fire Fronts Keep Spain on Edge
The blaze is not confined to one region. Across Spain, emergency services are fighting on numerous fronts.
Alert Level 2 in Asturias
Facing ten active wildfires and complicating southerly winds, the government of Asturias has declared Emergency Level 2 of the Wildfire Plan (Infopa). The fires are raging in the municipalities of Allande, Cabrales, Cangas del Narcea, Caso, Coaña, and Quirós, posing a serious threat.
Children Trapped in Mountain Station
In Ourense (Galicia), the situation became dramatically tense when children and counselors at a summer camp were trapped by smoke and flames at the Manzaneda mountain station. They had to spend the night in the facility. Emergency services have launched a massive safety operation and appealed to parents not to drive to the station on their own to avoid hindering the firefighting efforts.
Traffic Chaos and Road Closures
The fires are also causing significant traffic disruptions. In Galicia, the Guardia Civil had to close the A-52 motorway between the provinces of Ourense and Pontevedra after a fire in Dozón threatened the population center of O Castro. several trucks that were stuck on the highway had to be evacuated.
The nation holds its breath as thousands of firefighters, soldiers, and volunteers fight tirelessly against time and the flames. The coming hours will be crucial in the battle against one of the most severe natural disasters to hit Spain this summer.
