Spain is battling three active wildfires this Friday, while another has already been brought under control, amid a day marked by extremely high temperatures, strong winds, and dry conditions. The most serious blaze is in the Cinco Villas area of Zaragoza province, which has become the largest wildfire recorded in the country this year after burning approximately 12,000 hectares.
First reported on Wednesday, the wildfire remains “highly active” and has expanded significantly overnight and during the early hours of Friday, according to authorities. Its perimeter has now reached 60 kilometers, forcing the evacuation of six villages: Orés, Asín, Luesia, Malpica de Arba, Uncastillo (in Zaragoza), and Petilla de Aragón (in Navarra). More than 1,100 people have been affected.
The flames are mainly spreading through the Cerro de Cinco Villas area, a pine forest located near the Los Robles and San Lorenzo districts. Local authorities have opened a sports hall as an emergency shelter, while Spain’s Military Emergency Unit (UME) has deployed personnel to assist with firefighting operations.
The Civil Guard arrested a man on Thursday suspected of starting the fire. Residents alerted authorities after reportedly seeing an individual leaving the area under suspicious circumstances.
At the time of his arrest, the suspect was carrying a backpack containing several items, including flammable materials. After identifying him, police discovered that he had previous criminal records related to similar offenses in other Spanish provinces.
Carlos Novillo, Madrid’s regional councillor for Environment, Agriculture, and Interior Affairs, announced that the regional government would join the legal proceedings as a plaintiff against the suspect. According to Novillo, the decision aims to protect the region’s natural heritage, which was seriously endangered “by an individual without conscience who caused a major fire and put human lives at risk.”
The President of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, supported the decision, recalling that the regional government has adopted regulations allowing it to participate as a plaintiff in cases involving damage to natural heritage.
The roads A-1204, CV-813, A-1202, CV-841, and CV-628 remain closed, although electricity supplies have been restored in all affected areas. On Thursday, around 400 ground crews and 19 aircraft took part in firefighting operations, while overnight firefighters focused on protecting homes in Uncastillo.
