Hundreds evacuated as wildfire scorches 13,000 hectares in Spain

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Or sign-in if you have an account.This handout photo released on July 19, 2026, by Spain's Military Emergencies Unit (UME) shows the military fighting a wildfire in La Mierla area, near Guadalajara, about 100 kilometers north of Madrid. Photo by HandoutFirefighters were battling a wildfire north of Madrid on Sunday that has burned around 13,000 hectares of land and forced some 700 residents to evacuate, authorities said.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERSEnjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. 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Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountPrime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in a post on X that his government was closely monitoring the wildfire and thanked firefighters “working tirelessly” to protect lives and bring the blaze under control.Around 300 firefighters, supported by 26 water-dropping aircraft, were working to contain the blaze, which broke out on Thursday amid scorching temperatures in Guadalajara province, the regional forest fire response service said on X.Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againThe fire has been described as “difficult” by the head of the regional government, Emiliano García-Page.It broke out in a forest-covered mountainous area that includes the Sierra Norte Natural Park, home to endangered species including eagles, wolves and butterflies.The wildfire comes after another blaze broke out on Wednesday near Zaragoza, in the northeastern region of Aragon, forcing around 1,000 people to evacuate their homes.Firefighters, aided by improved weather conditions, had managed to curtail that fire’s spread, Aragon’s deputy regional president María del Mar Vaquero told Spanish public television.“Emergency services will determine when the residents of the five evacuated villages can return home,” she said.The fire has burned around 14,400 hectares, Vaquero said, revising down an earlier estimate of about 16,000 hectares.No casualties have been reported.Earlier this month, Spain suffered one of its deadliest wildfires in recent history when a blaze in the southern province of Almeria killed 13 people and destroyed around 7,000 hectares.Spain is on the front line of climate change and has experienced increasingly long and frequent heatwaves in recent years, with temperatures regularly exceeding 40 C, creating conditions conducive to devastating wildfires.Scientists say human-driven climate change is increasing the length, intensity and frequency of heatwaves, drying out vegetation and contributing to a greater risk of wildfires.Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. 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