Proveneya & Nahiara · Updated Tuesday, July 28, 2026
Wildfires 2026 — daily update. Bilingual Spanish/English information from Proveneya & Nahiara.
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Spain
173,651.46 ha officially burned between January 1 and July 28, 2026 (official figure) — six times more than on the same date in 2025 (29,817 ha); provisional EFFIS satellite estimates put the figure above 200,000 ha.
The Madrid-Ávila-Toledo megafire now stands at around 80,000 ha and has affected over 90,000 people — described by the Interior Minister as the most significant and aggressive fire in Spain's history.
The Council of Ministers has declared a civil protection emergency zone covering 14 autonomous regions affected by 211 catastrophic episodes (mostly wildfires) between March 31 and July 27.
International aid deployed: Greece, Italy, Turkey and Portugal have sent Canadair aircraft, Air Tractor Fireboss planes and ground crews.
Portugal
Several active fires in central and northern Portugal: the worst, in Viseu, has burned around 13,000 ha, prompting Lisbon to request help from the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.
A fire in Guarda, just 20 km from the Spanish border, is drawing the country's largest firefighting deployment: 282 personnel, 87 vehicles and air support.
39 active fires counted nationwide; over 1,000 firefighters and about 20 aircraft and helicopters mobilized; fire risk maximum or very high across nearly the entire country.
Portugal has simultaneously sent 134 personnel and 41 vehicles to Spain, after receiving Spanish aid in early July.
Spain + France + Portugal combined
Together, the three countries have burned 235,000 hectares in the last five days alone — an area equivalent to the Mexican state of Colima — with over 300,000 evacuated and 60,000 confined.
France
116,085 hectares burned in total in 2026, according to the French Interior Ministry (July 27) — a completely unprecedented season, far from over.
13,566 fires or fire outbreaks recorded since the start of the season.
The Gironde megafire alone: 42,000 ha and 220,000 evacuees, who won't be able to return home in the short term.
Two firefighters died battling the blaze near Bordeaux airport.
Italy
Official figures vary between sources: between 40,000 ha (+81% over the recent average) and over 100,000 ha nationwide, depending on the outlet. Sicily and Calabria are the worst-hit areas, with one firefighter killed.
Note: there is no single consolidated official figure yet for Italy — treat with caution until an official Protezione Civile or EFFIS figure is available.
Algeria
154 fires declared in 24 hours (peak on July 18); 6 deaths and about 150 homes affected in Annaba, the epicenter of the wave.
Residents fighting the fire with their bare hands due to lack of resources.
Turkey
About 95,000 hectares burned — seven times the historical average (2008–2020) for this time of year.
Evacuations in Bodrum and Antalya.
Canada
3,656 fires and 2.78 million hectares burned — already above the 25-year average.
Ontario is the hardest-hit province: a single fire (Thunder Bay 36) has already burned 314,000 ha, uncontained.
Ocean context
Record-high average sea-surface temperature: 20.86°C (June 21).
37% of oceans under a marine heatwave — the engine behind all these simultaneous fire fronts.
Sources: MITECO, EFFIS/Copernicus, French Interior Ministry, Portuguese Civil Protection (ICNF), Italian Civil Protection and various outlets (see note on Italy), Algerian Civil Protection, Turkish Meteorological Service, Government of Canada, CBC News, NOAA, Copernicus Marine Service.