Overview

• Spain has formally invoked the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to secure two Canadair water-bombers and is prepared to request additional support.
• Over 157,000 hectares have burned across Castilla y León, Galicia and other regions, forcing thousands from their homes and causing multiple deaths, including volunteer firefighters.
• Authorities have arrested several individuals on suspicion of deliberately igniting blazes, responding to a string of arson-linked outbreaks.
• Fire services say years of prevention budget cuts and resource gaps have left some areas under-equipped, with local residents often forced to battle flames on their own.
• German fire departments have contained major blazes in Niedernhausen and Elmshorn, rescued residents in Gevelsberg and Hannover, and face ongoing arson investigations as crews report heavy workloads under continued heat.