Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced on Tuesday that his government will declare a civil protection emergency in response to the widespread wildfires ravaging several regions of the country.
Sánchez made the announcement during a visit to a firefighting command post in Cáceres, in southwestern Spain, one of the worst-affected areas along with Galicia and Castilla y León in the northwest. Calling the situation “a calamity,” he pledged full government support, including compensation for residents who have suffered losses.
According to the European Forest Fire Information System, more than 382,000 hectares have burned in Spain so far this year, with over 300,000 hectares destroyed in just the past two weeks. Regional emergency services reported that four people have died this month and more than 30,000 residents have been evacuated.
Sánchez underscored the urgent need to confront climate change, identifying it as a driving factor behind the escalating wildfire crisis.
“We cannot limit ourselves to reacting when fires start. We must prepare the ground so that when they break out, the damage is reduced,” he said.
Experts note that global warming is intensifying heatwaves worldwide, drying out vegetation and soil, and lowering ignition thresholds. These conditions turn landscapes into highly flammable fuel, making wildfires faster-spreading and harder to control.
While southern Europe has endured a severe wildfire season, Spain has been hit particularly hard, though authorities reported a slight easing of conditions on Tuesday.
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