Wildfires continue in Spain, Portugal despite improved weather

ISTANBUL

Spain and Portugal are still battling massive wildfires at 20 locations on Friday, despite improved weather conditions helping efforts to bring some blazes under control.

Spanish authorities said that 18 major fires remain active across the country, while Portugal is struggling with two large outbreaks in its northern and central regions.

The fires, which began in early August, have already claimed four lives in Spain and three in Portugal, El Pais reported.

In Spain, the worst-hit areas include Galicia’s Ourense and Pontevedra provinces and Zamora and Leon in Castile and Leon.

More than 2,500 people have been forced from their homes nationwide, with many still sheltering in sports halls, temporary accommodation centers, or staying with relatives. In Leon alone, 1,523 residents remain displaced.

Officials announced that fires in the Extremadura region’s Jarilla municipality, which destroyed nearly 17,000 hectares of land in the past 10 days, have now been brought under control.

Since the start of the year, over 350,000 hectares have burned across Spain, nearly 330,000 of them in August.

Wildfire suppression efforts have cost around €8 billion ($8.6 billion), while economic damage in burned areas has exceeded €2 billion.

Farmers and livestock breeders in Galicia and Castile and Leon are among the hardest hit.

- About 3% of Portuguese territory went up in flames

Meanwhile, Portugal continues to fight blazes in Arganil and Cinco Vilas, where some 2,000 firefighters are deployed. Fires in the country have destroyed 275,000 hectares, equivalent to about 3% of Portuguese territory.

Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said the nation is “in shock” as his minority government approved a 45-point relief package for affected areas. The plan includes expanded medical support, faster reconstruction, and financial assistance to families and businesses.

The government pledged to cover the full rebuilding costs of homes valued up to €250,000 but has resisted opposition demands to declare a state of emergency.

Montenegro vowed that his government will do “everything possible to ease the suffering of those directly affected by the destruction caused by the flames.”