Tens of thousands of people evacuated from wildfire zones across central Spain were told they could return to their homes on Wednesday, but authorities on both sides of the Pyrenees are bracing for a fourth summer heatwave that threatens to reignite blazes and spark new ones.
In the Madrid region alone, 24,000 residents were cleared to go back and restrictions on another 20,000 were lifted as fire crews stabilised several fronts. But Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned that the coming 12 hours would be ‘decisive’ in containing the major wildfire near the capital, with soaring temperatures, falling humidity and gusting winds creating dangerous conditions.
The fire at Burgohondo in Avila province, 150 kilometres west of Madrid, has already scorched more than 43,000 hectares, making it the largest recorded wildfire in Spanish history. More than 207,000 hectares have been burned across Spain so far this year. Some 40,000 people have fled the Burgohondo blaze alone.
Francisco Bolanos, one of the officials directing firefighting operations there, said the fire ‘has not moved a centimetre during the night’ but warned that forecast temperatures could trigger re-ignition. The focus is on stabilising a 180-kilometre perimeter.
In the town of Chapineria, west of Madrid, Mayor Lucia Moya told Telemadrid that the consequences for her community have been devastating. ‘Many residents have lost their homes and jobs. Getting back on track is going to be an arduous task,’ she said.
Across the border in southwestern France, the Gironde region is also on high alert. The largest fires there are described as ‘still stabilised’ despite several flare-ups, but officials warn of dry winds and temperatures climbing to 41 degrees Celsius. The mayor of Le Barp, Blandine Sarrazin, said the situation was ‘getting harder’ after two fresh fires broke out, and called for ‘hyper-vigilance’.
France has placed 16 departments under orange heatwave alerts. The fire service has deployed special measures in Gironde to protect ‘Seveso’ sites — industrial facilities that handle hazardous materials, including plants supplying France’s defence and aerospace sectors.
One fire remains out of control at Vall d’Uixo, northwest of Valencia, where crews are battling to stop it from spreading into residential areas.
Scientists have warned that climate change is intensifying the length and severity of European heatwaves and wildfire seasons. The summer of 2026 is on track to be one of the most destructive on record for southern Europe, with successive heatwaves drying out vegetation and turning vast stretches of forest into tinder.
Thousands of tourists had their holidays disrupted over the past week as evacuations swept through popular destinations in both countries. Travel operators have been scrambling to rebook or refund customers affected by the closures.
Spain’s government declared a national emergency last week as the fires spread across multiple provinces, mobilising military emergency units to support local firefighters. France has also drawn on EU civil protection mechanisms, requesting firefighting aircraft from neighbouring member states through the European Union’s emergency response coordination centre.