Spain’s largest wildfire of 2026 spreads beyond 26,000 hectares as new heatwave fuels fears

The blaze, centred around La Mierla in Castilla-La Mancha, expanded rapidly overnight, consuming an additional 10,000 hectares and growing into Spain’s largest wildfire of 2026. Authorities said around 25 municipalities have now been evacuated, while regional president Emiliano García-Page warned that almost 30 population centres are now surrounded by the fire.

He stressed that protecting lives and preventing the flames from reaching homes and urban areas remains the priority for emergency services.

The fire has now burned an area roughly equivalent to the size of the Scottish city of Edinburgh. Strong winds have continued to hamper firefighting efforts, while the blaze has expanded to a perimeter of around 100 kilometres.

According to Castilla-La Mancha’s regional minister of sustainable development, Mercedes Gómez, crews concentrated their efforts on Sunday around the Gascueña and Bustares areas.

A total of 655 personnel, supported by 33 aircraft and 33 ground crews, are currently battling the blaze.

Spain’s national weather agency, AEMET, has warned that the country’s third heatwave of 2026 is expected to last at least until Thursday, bringing temperatures above 40C across much of the southeastern interior and pushing wildfire danger to extreme levels.

Some areas could see temperatures climb as high as 42 to 44C by Thursday as hot, dry air moves north from Africa. The agency has also warned of the possibility of dry thunderstorms developing in mountainous parts of eastern Spain, creating further wildfire risks.

The Guadalajara blaze comes as Spain endures one of its most destructive fire seasons in recent years. According to the European Union’s Copernicus wildfire monitoring service, 104,423 hectares have already burned across Spain this year, compared with 41,781 hectares in France, making Spain the EU country worst affected by wildfires in 2026.

The current emergency follows last year’s exceptionally severe fire season, when Spain recorded 354,747 hectares burned and 63 major wildfires – the highest annual burned area of the past decade.

Although the wildfire in Orés in the province of Zaragoza (Aragón) blaze remains active, authorities say it has now been brought under control and efforts are focused on securing its 80-kilometre perimeter. ALSO READ: More than 12,000 hectares destroyed as Aragón faces escalating wildfire crisis.

Aragón regional president Jorge Azcón said the situation had improved significantly.

‘Today is the first day we can breathe a sigh of relief,’ he added. ‘That doesn’t mean we’re going to let our guard down. The fire will continue to be brought under control.’ 

Around 1,000 people were evacuated from the villages of Orés, Asín, Luesia, Malpica de Arba, Peraltilla, Uncastillo and Petilla de Aragón.

Aragon’s vice-president, Mar Vaquero, said inspections of homes and infrastructure are now under way to determine when residents can safely return.

A decision on allowing people back into their communities ‘can be made in the next few days’, she said.

Elsewhere, firefighters responded to two further wildfires on Sunday.

One broke out in El Prat de Llobregat, near Barcelona, forcing the closure of the B-250 highway and one lane of the B-20 motorway. Thirteen Catalan Fire Service crews were deployed to tackle the blaze, which has burned around four hectares.

Another fire erupted in Quintana de la Serena, in the province of Badajoz (Extremadure), prompting a Level 1 emergency because of the threat to nearby buildings. Firefighters from region, supported by the Cáceres Provincial Council and Guardia Civil officers, brought the blaze under control after several hours.

The latest fires come less than two weeks after one of Spain’s deadliest wildfires in decades, when a blaze near Bédar in the province of Almería (Andalusia) killed 13 people and destroyed around 7,000 hectares. ALSO READ: Seven Britons among 13 wildfire victims as British Ambassador meets survivors in Almeria.

Scientists say human-driven climate change is increasing the frequency, duration and intensity of heatwaves, drying out vegetation and creating conditions that make large, fast-moving wildfires increasingly likely across southern Europe. ALSO READ: Sánchez unveils Spain’s largest anti-wildfire operation after devastating 2025 fires.