A wildfire that has been raging in western Catalonia since Tuesday evening has claimed the lives of two individuals.
According to firefighters, the victims were the owner of a local farm and one of the workers employed there.
The blaze, in the province of Lerida, has so far scorched approximately 6,500 hectares of land, based on information from the Catalan Fire Department.
Catalan regional president Salvador Illa said he was ‘dismayed after learning of the death of two people as a result of the fire’ in a post on X. Hours earlier, police in the region had reported the death of a two-year-old boy after he was left in a parked car in the sun for several hours. ALSO READ: Toddler dies after being left in car in Valls, Tarragona, during 35C heatwave.
In addition to the two fatalities in the Lerida wildfire, two firefighters have sustained injuries. One suffered eye injuries caused by sparks, while the other was taken to hospital with minor injuries after parts of a collapsed haystack roof fell on him.
Around 50 firefighting brigades worked through the night to contain the fire. Firefighters have stated that no further casualties are expected.
Authorities had planned to reduce the number of active teams to 35 on Wednesday morning, with about 130 firefighters continuing efforts to control the blaze.
Although the situation improved overnight, officials warn that firefighting efforts are likely to become more challenging on Wednesday due to soaring temperatures.
Catalonia is considered one of Spain’s regions most prone to wildfires. The combination of scorching, dry summers, strong winds, extensive forested areas and mountainous terrain creates ideal conditions for fires to ignite and spread.
Over the last ten years, the region has averaged around 500 wildfires annually, with approximately 1,800 hectares of land burned each year.
Spain is in the midst of an intense heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 40°C in many places and several heat records set for the month of June. One person died in the southern city of Cordoba and another in Barcelona, both while doing road work on Saturday and likely victims of heatstroke. ALSO READ: Authorities issue warnings, as Spain & southern Europe hit by summer’s first major heatwave.
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Dues persones han mort a l’incendi de Torrefeta. L’incendi està estabilitzat. Nota de premsa #Bomberscat ⬇️https://t.co/5nUOaYb3vd
— Bombers (@bomberscat) July 1, 2025
Un sentido abrazo a las familias de las dos personas fallecidas en el incendio extremo que está desolando la Segarra, la Noguera y l’Urgell, en Lleida.
Mi solidaridad con todos los afectados y mi reconocimiento a los servicios de emergencia que están trabajando en su extinción.…
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) July 2, 2025
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