The Iberian Peninsula is experiencing a deadly summer. In Spain, four firefighters have already died since the start of the fire season, including one on Monday in Castile and León, who was killed when a tanker lorry overturned. In Portugal, a firefighter died on Sunday in a road accident that occurred whilst he was on a fire-fighting mission in the north of the country. This brings the total number of rescue workers who have died in recent weeks to five, highlighting the terrible price paid by those who fight fires at the risk of their own lives.
These deaths come as the fires intensify on both sides of the border. In Spain, more than 70,000 hectares have been burnt in just a few days and 157,000 since January, according to EFFIS (the European Forest Fire Information System). In Portugal, the area devastated has already reached 185,000 hectares since the start of the year, a figure higher than the total recorded in 2024.
Firefighters, often exhausted by endless days on the job, have to operate in extreme conditions: steep terrain, thick smoke, changeable winds, and narrow, overheated roads. The risk of accidents is ever-present, as highlighted by the tragedy in Castile and León and the incident that occurred on Sunday in Portugal, which also left two other firefighters seriously injured.
Firefighters: a fragile but vital bulwark
The role of firefighters goes far beyond simply putting out fires. They evacuate residents, secure villages, protect vital infrastructure and attempt to save entire forests. Their heroic commitment, praised by the Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, is, however, carried out in conditions of constant danger. “Unwavering dedication,” emphasised the Head of State, in tribute to the firefighter who lost his life on Sunday.
Local residents, facing the advancing flames, express their immense gratitude to the men and women holding the line against the fire. But every operation brings with it the fear of the worst: fatigue, heat, operational unforeseen events and the terrain make every mission potentially fatal. The five firefighters who lost their lives symbolise this sacrifice made to protect others.
National and European responses to the crisis
Faced with the scale of the fires, Madrid and Lisbon are stepping up their announcements. In Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has announced a “national pact to tackle the climate emergency”, aimed at strengthening prevention and civil protection. In Portugal, the government has activated the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism. Two Swedish fire-fighting aircraft are expected to arrive as reinforcements, whilst the Canadair aircraft sent by Morocco remain on standby.
Lisbon has also extended its emergency measures: a ban on access to certain forests and the suspension of high-risk activities such as fireworks. For whilst the figures for the area burnt are already alarming, the season is far from over. Experts point out that successive heatwaves and droughts, exacerbated by climate change, are leading to more frequent, more intense and harder-to-control fires.
To keep up to date with ongoing operations, our real-time fire tracking map allows you to view the onset of fires and how they develop. You can also view the fire risk map, updated daily, so that you can find out the risk level in your department.