Spain to Deploy 500 More Troops to Battle Wildfires

Spain is set to deploy an additional 500 soldiers to tackle raging wildfires as record-breaking heat continues to fuel blazes across the country.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced the move on Sunday, bringing the total number of military personnel fighting wildfires to more than 1,900. 

The reinforcements come as firefighters struggle to contain dozens of fires, particularly in Galicia, where parched forests have been burning for over a week.

Regional leader Alfonso Rueda confirmed that firefighters are currently battling 12 major blazes near the city of Ourense. Authorities have ordered evacuations and imposed lockdowns in several areas as flames threaten homes and farmland.

European allies are also expected to send aircraft to support Spain’s firefighting operations.

The Spanish Meteorological Agency warned that temperatures could soar to 45°C in some regions on Sunday, following Saturday’s peak of 44.7°C in Córdoba. Officials said the risk of wildfires remains at an “extremely high” level across much of the country.

According to the EU’s Forest Fire Information System, wildfires in Spain have already destroyed 158,000 hectares (390,000 acres) of land this year, an area nearly the size of Greater London.