Wildfire north of Madrid consumes 13,000 hectares

Spanish authorities announced yesterday that a fire broke out on Thursday about 100 kilometers north of Madrid, consuming 13,000 hectares and forcing the evacuation of hundreds of people. The fire service in Castile, central Spain, reported that the “wildfire in the town of La Mierla in the Guadalajara region” had “destroyed 13,000 hectares of land and affected more than 700 people.” Hundreds of firefighters are working to contain the flames with the help of helicopters. The fire, which erupted in the mountainous and forested area of Guadalajara, particularly in the Sierra Norte park that hosts threatened species of eagles, wolves, and butterflies, has not resulted in any casualties. This fire adds to another blaze that broke out on Wednesday near Zaragoza in the northeast, as Spain prepares for a new heat wave starting tomorrow, with temperatures potentially exceeding 45 degrees Celsius in some isolated areas. Spain recently experienced one of the worst fires in its history after a blaze erupted in Andalusia (the south) on July 9, killing 13 people and scorching 7,000 hectares.