Overview
- Major fires that surged between July 22 and 28 burned tens of thousands of hectares, with Burgohondo reported at more than 50,000 hectares and national totals around 150,000 hectares.
- A large firefighting push with national and regional aircraft, helitranported brigades and night drone surveillance has placed several of the biggest incidents in stabilised or control phases while crews continue perimeter consolidation.
- Aerial teams have used long‑duration red retardant to paint containment lines when water resupply was impractical, a tactic officials say slows fire spread but carries cost and environmental trade‑offs.
- Roughly 90,000 people from more than 40 municipalities were evacuated or confined, hundreds of homes and agricultural buildings were damaged, and regional governments have announced emergency aid packages and advance payments for affected producers.
- Burn patterns show heavy damage to pastures and protected habitats such as Valle de Iruelas, prompting calls for multi‑year recovery plans, expanded fuel management like clearings and grazing, and changes to prevention funding.