Spain Calls in Military and European Aid as Wildfires Ravage the Country

By Fakorede King Abdulmajeed | Fuxma Media | August 18, 2025

Spain is enduring one of its most severe wildfire seasons on record, with tens of thousands of residents displaced and vast tracts of land scorched as firefighters struggle to contain multiple blazes.

According to government figures, more than 344,000 hectares, an expanse larger than the island of Mallorca have already burned this summer. The destruction is more than four times the national average recorded between 2006 and 2024, making 2025 a devastating outlier.

The Spanish government has mobilized about 4,000 military personnel to support overwhelmed local fire crews. Across the European Union, allies have responded to Madrid’s call for assistance through the Civil Protection Mechanism, sending reinforcements from countries such as France, Italy, Germany, Slovakia, and the Netherlands. Dozens of firefighting aircraft and ground units have joined operations in regions most at risk.

Even with additional manpower, efforts remain hampered by relentless heat. Spain is in the grip of a 16-day heatwave, with temperatures climbing to 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) in parts of the country. Strong winds and bone-dry vegetation have turned much of the landscape into fuel.

The human toll is mounting. At least four people have died in Spain, including a firefighter killed when his vehicle overturned. Neighboring Portugal, also battling fast-moving blazes, has reported two deaths linked to the fires. Thousands of people have been forced from their homes, and authorities continue to issue evacuation orders in fire-prone areas.

The wildfires are also disrupting daily life and economic activity. A 50-kilometer stretch of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail was closed as flames advanced, while major rail services through Galicia and Castile and León were suspended after fire reached the tracks. Agriculture has been badly hit, with olive groves, vineyards, and grazing lands among the losses.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has framed the crisis as a wake-up call for national unity, urging rival parties to back a climate change pact to address the long-term risks facing the country. “Spain is on the frontline of the climate emergency,” he said, emphasizing the need for policies that go beyond seasonal firefighting.

But his appeal has been met with criticism from opposition lawmakers, who accuse the government of focusing on political messaging instead of allocating more resources to emergency services.

For communities across Spain, the devastation has highlighted the growing vulnerability of the Iberian Peninsula to extreme weather. As climate scientists warn that longer, hotter summers are becoming the new normal, Spain’s 2025 wildfire season has become a grim benchmark of how quickly conditions can spiral beyond control.