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In the Galicia region alone, the flames have destroyed around 11,500 hectares of land so far.
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Spain has officially asked the European Union for help in fighting the forest fires. The regional authorities had previously announced that almost 6,000 people from 26 towns had been evacuated from their homes.
On Wednesday evening, Madrid "officially" made use of the European Union (EU) aid mechanism to fight the numerous fires and requested "two Canadair planes", Spain's Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska told the radio station Cadena Ser on Wednesday evening, referring to the special fire-fighting planes.
People in large parts of Europe are currently affected by a heatwave. At the same time, Greece, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and the Balkan states are battling fierce forest fires. In Spain, two people have already died as a result of the fires.
In the north-west of Spain, which has been devastated by forest fires, seven people have also been admitted to hospital, some with severe burns. According to the government of the Castilla y León region, four of them were in mortal danger on Wednesday, including a 37-year-old man with burns to 85% of his body.
More than 8,000 people had to leave their homes in Castile and Leon. Firefighters in the neighboring region of Galicia have also been battling the flames for days, which have already destroyed around 115 square kilometers. For comparison: the area of the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden is around 172 square kilometers. The train line between Galicia and the capital Madrid is also closed due to a fire near the railroad tracks.
In Portugal, the fire department is also fighting several forest fires, including one near the city of Coimbra in the center of the country. Gusts of wind near the town of Trancoso fanned the flames again on Wednesday night. According to forecasts, the heatwave on the Iberian peninsula could last until Monday.
13.08.2025, 23:54
