Spain faces record wildfire devastation with more than 340,000 hectares scorched

Thousands of fires, including many large blazes, have damaged forests, farmland, and countryside across the country

As Spain nears the close of one of its toughest wildfire seasons in recent memory, the scale of destruction is staggering.

By September 7, wildfires had burnt more than 341,200 hectares, an area about the size of 4,770 football pitches or roughly 1,260 square miles, making 2025 the worst fire year in a decade. These numbers come from a combination of reports by regional governments and satellite data from the European Commission’s Copernicus system, showing just how widespread the damage has been.

To put it into perspective, one hectare equals about 2.47 acres or a square 100 meters on each side. This means that the fires have consumed huge swathes of forest, scrubland and meadows across Spain. Specifically, roughly 151,700 hectares of scrub and open woodland, 71,775 hectares of denser forest, and 33,682 hectares of pasture and grassland have been affected, highlighting the fires’ impact on varied landscapes and ecosystems.

The season has seen a total of 6,536 fires, but most have been small. Around 4,500 were incipient fires, burning less than one hectare and often quickly contained. The worrying concern is the 2,018 larger fires, including 61 major fires that each destroyed more than 500 hectares - over three times the usual number of large fires expected by this time of year. In comparison, 2022 experienced only 55 such major blazes by early September, showing how this year is a step up in both frequency and severity.

This unprecedented wildfire wave followed months of extreme heat, drought, and dry vegetation, feeding the flames and challenging firefighters. Rescue teams, supported by military units and international aid, spent many weeks battling fierce blazes across regions like Galicia, León and Extremadura while thousands of residents faced evacuation orders. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez praised those frontline workers for their courage and dedication amid these difficult conditions.

Firefighters and authorities remain alert as some areas have seen respite through cooler weather and rain, but the risk continues while dry spells persist. Experts stress that preventing future catastrophes hinges not just on emergency response, but on better forest management, early detection technology, and community preparedness.

Spain now faces the daunting task of ecological and community recovery, repairing damaged habitats, supporting affected locals, and planning for a changing climate that makes such fires more likely.

You might also be interested in: Ecofire: the Spanish invention that could change how we fight wildfires
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