Firefighters in the region of Castilla y León, northwestern Spain, worked tirelessly on Monday to control a wildfire that damaged a Roman-era mining site and prompted the evacuation of hundreds of local residents.
The firefighting operation encountered significant challenges due to high temperatures and winds reaching speeds of up to 40 kilometres per hour, according to regional environment minister Juan Carlos Suárez-Quiñones.
‘We will not allow people to return until the safety of their communities is fully ensured,’ he said, adding that around 700 individuals were still displaced.
Four people, including two firefighters, sustained minor injuries during the efforts, he confirmed.
The fire started on Sunday near Las Medulas, a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognised for its ancient Roman gold-mining ruins and striking red landscapes in northwestern Spain. It is located in the county of El Bierzo, province of León (Castilla y León).
Authorities noted that the extent of the damage to the site would be evaluated once the fire was fully brought under control.
The regional government’s tourism department intends to conduct a technical assessment when conditions improve.
UNESCO has described the site as ‘undoubtedly the best preserved and most representative of all the mining areas of the Greco-Roman world in classical times’.
For the past week, Spain has been enduring a heatwave, with temperatures nearing 40C in several regions, intensifying the risk of wildfires.
The Castilla y León region alone has witnessed 13 fires in the past three days, Suárez-Quiñones said, adding that some of these fires appeared to have been set intentionally. ALSO READ: Spain and Portugal battle wildfires amid forecast of soaring temperatures.
‘While some can be attributed to lightning or dry storms, others seem to have been deliberate,’ he said.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Portugal, firefighters were battling three major wildfires across the centre and northern parts of the country.
The largest blaze, near the town of Trancoso, has been raging since Saturday, with over 650 firefighters and six aircraft working to contain it.
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🔴”Siento vergüenza de que haya ocurrido en 2025″: el arqueólogo Sánchez Palencia lamenta la falta de medios tras el incendio de #lasmedulas @CCHS_CSIC @CCBierzo @MoralaMarco @consejeromavcyl @PsoeBierzo @PSOE_CyL @PPBierzo #Bierzo #incendiosforestales https://t.co/AzfzpZdudd pic.twitter.com/97H53n97Ng
— Radio Bierzo (@radiobierzo) August 11, 2025
.@jcyl trabaja en la extinción de los incendios activos en #CastillayLeón y vela por la seguridad de ciudadanos y bienes
Llama a la prudencia de la población en las actividades al aire libre mientras prosiguen las labores de investigación para esclarecer el origen de los fuegos pic.twitter.com/DmHVRGbof3
— Junta de Castilla y León (@jcyl) August 11, 2025
🚒Este lunes continúan las reuniones del Centro de Coordinación Operativa Integrado (Cecopi) para trabajar en la extinción de los incendios que asolan la provincia de #LeónEsp, en especial #ElBierzo, con la presencia de la #DiputaciónDeLeón. pic.twitter.com/dmE9GcJq7U
— Diputación De León (@diputacionleon) August 11, 2025
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