Difficult hours ahead: Spanish prime minister warns as wildfires rage

Tuesday 19 August 2025 - 13:55

By: Sahili Aya

Difficult hours ahead: Spanish prime minister warns as wildfires rage

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has warned that the coming hours will be “difficult” in the battle against devastating wildfires that have ravaged western Spain for more than ten days. Despite the end of the intense heatwave that gripped the country, large areas remain under threat.

Speaking during a visit to an emergency coordination center in Extremadura on Tuesday, Sánchez urged both the media and citizens to remain vigilant. “We must not lower our guard. Critical hours still lie ahead,” he said.

The socialist leader reiterated his commitment to pushing for a national climate emergency pact, noting that extreme weather events are becoming increasingly severe across the Iberian Peninsula. “Every year, the climate emergency worsens and accelerates,” he stressed.

After 16 days of record heat, with temperatures reaching 40ºC in many regions, cooler weather and higher humidity have brought some relief. These conditions are expected to aid firefighters, supported by military units and reinforcements from other European countries.

However, authorities warn that full containment of the blazes will take many more days. Vast fires continue to burn across Galicia, Castile, and Extremadura, destroying tens of thousands of hectares.

According to satellite data from the European Copernicus system, nearly 373,000 hectares have been burned across Spain so far this year — already the highest figure since records began under the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) in 2006.