Spain Declares Emergency as France Seeks EU Aid Against 40C Wildfires
Updated
Updated · DW (English) · Jul 24
Spain Declares Emergency as France Seeks EU Aid Against 40C Wildfires
3 articles · Updated · DW (English) · Jul 24
Summary
Spain late Thursday declared a national emergency in the Madrid region and Avila, shifting wildfire response to the military emergency unit after about 10,000 people were evacuated.
Up to 40C heat forecast across parts of Europe is worsening fires already tearing through Spain, France and Italy, with more land burned in 2026 than Europe’s two-decade annual average.
France activated the EU civil protection mechanism as fires near Arcachon Bay forced 7,000 more precautionary evacuations, raising the local total to 12,000; EU partners pledged aircraft and helicopters.
In Spain, more than 30 villages were evacuated in Guadalajara, while Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said every available resource had been deployed across multiple fire-hit regions.
Italy has deployed about 6,000 responders across Sicily, where roughly 50 fires were still burning, while Calabria officials blamed some of more than 160 mainland fires on arson.
As megafires become Europe's new normal, is the current strategy of suppression and emergency aid fundamentally flawed?
With climate disasters costing billions, who will pay for Southern Europe's future of recurring fire and heat?
Beyond climate change, are arson and poor land management the unspoken culprits behind Europe's devastating wildfires?
2026 European Wildfires: Unprecedented Heatwaves, Record Land Loss, and the Escalating Climate Emergency
Overview
In July 2026, Europe is facing an unprecedented wildfire season, driven by a series of intense and early heatwaves. As the world’s fastest-warming continent, Europe has experienced three back-to-back heatwaves this year, with extreme temperatures breaking records alarmingly early. These conditions have led to wildfires burning more land than the average of the past two decades. Spain, in particular, is suffering from longer and more frequent heatwaves, with temperatures often above 40°C, creating ideal conditions for devastating fires. This crisis highlights the urgent link between rising temperatures and escalating wildfire risks across the continent.