The fire, declared on Thursday in the municipality of La Mierla, has scorched 13,000 hectares of the Sierra Norte natural park and affects more than 700 people. No fatalities have been reported.
The flames show no mercy in the province of Guadalajara. The forest fire that started last Thursday in the municipality of La Mierla has already consumed 13,000 hectares of land, according to the latest report from the Castilla-La Mancha Fire Prevention and Extinction Service. The fire, which threatens the Sierra Norte natural park, has forced the evacuation of several hundred local residents.
Over 350 personnel combat the fire
To tackle the flames, the authorities have deployed a large operation. About 350 firefighters and personnel from the Military Emergency Unit (UME) are working on the ground, supported by 25 aircraft. The regional president, Emiliano García-Page, described the situation as “difficult” on his social media, although no fatalities have been reported so far.
The affected area is a wooded and mountainous expanse that is home to protected species such as the imperial eagle, the Iberian wolf, and various threatened butterflies. The evolution of the fire is particularly concerning in the coming days, as Spain prepares to face its third heatwave of the summer starting Tuesday, with temperatures that could exceed 40 degrees.
A dark summer for forest fires
This disaster adds to two other major fires that have struck the country in recent weeks. In the province of Zaragoza, another fire declared on Wednesday has ravaged nearly 15,000 hectares, although the Aragonese president, Jorge Azcón, reported on Sunday a “clearly favourable evolution.” And in Andalusia, the deadliest fire of the year, which started on July 9, caused 13 deaths and burned 7,000 hectares.
The tally for 2025 is already the worst in Spain's recent history. According to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), more than 393,000 hectares have been consumed by fire so far this year. This figure surpasses any previous record and highlights the severity of the situation.
For residents of the Community of Madrid, the Guadalajara fire has a direct impact: the proximity of the flames, just about a hundred kilometres from the capital, has raised alarms in municipalities of the Henares Corridor and the northern Sierra of Madrid, where authorities recommend caution due to possible changes in wind direction. So far, no evacuations have been ordered in the region, but the smoke column is visible from towns like Alcalá de Henares and Torrejón de Ardoz.
Extinction efforts continue tirelessly. Emergency teams remain hopeful that the drop in temperatures during the night may help contain the advance of the flames. Meanwhile, evacuees are staying in shelters set up by the Junta de Castilla-La Mancha, awaiting the opportunity to return to their homes.
You may also like
