A 35-year-old volunteer firefighter has died from severe burns while battling wildfires in Spain’s Castile and Leon region, as the country grapples with dozens of blazes intensified by scorching heat, strong winds, and dry conditions.
Regional officials confirmed that the victim was attempting to create firebreaks near the town of Nogarejas when he became trapped by fast-moving flames.
Several others have been hospitalized, and more than 5,000 residents have been evacuated from vulnerable areas.
At least six major wildfires remained out of control on Wednesday, with emergency services racing to prevent the flames from reaching smaller towns.
The Spanish weather agency AEMET has issued an “extreme” wildfire risk warning for the day, citing forecasts of strong winds and electric storms.
Environment Minister Sara Aagesen told SER radio that many of the fires may have been deliberately set, saying their “virulence” suggests arson, though investigations are still ongoing.
“It’s too early to quantify, but we suspect several fires were caused intentionally,” Aagesen said.
The crisis has spread across multiple regions. In northwestern Galicia, regional leader Alfonso Rueda described the situation in Ourense province as “complicated,” with six active fires affecting over 10,000 hectares.
“The weather isn’t helping,” Rueda noted, as firefighters struggled to contain the blazes amid relentless heat and unpredictable winds.
On Monday, another fatality was recorded when a man working at a horse stable near Madrid died after a fire reached nearby homes and farms before being brought under control.
As Spain faces one of its most intense wildfire seasons in recent years, authorities continue to urge vigilance and cooperation from the public, while emergency teams work around the clock to contain the devastation.
