Hundreds of Spanish firefighters are battling a massive wildfire near the capital Madrid, the latest in a series of blazes this summer as the country endures its third heatwave of the year.

More than 600 firefighters and troops, backed by 29 aircraft, spent a sixth day fighting the fire on Tuesday as it raged north of Madrid. The blaze has scorched approximately 30,000 hectares (74,000 acres) and forced about 1,200 people to evacuate their homes. A total of 34 hamlets have been emptied, and residents in 14 more districts have been told to shelter indoors.

Strong winds and dry, abandoned scrubland in the sparsely populated area have made the fire especially difficult to contain. Temperatures soaring to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) have added to the strain on firefighting crews as helicopters and planes assist in dousing the flames.

Authorities reported that the fire is one of the toughest they have ever faced. It has been burning since last Thursday in Guadalajara province, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of the capital, and is now Spain's most destructive wildfire of the year.

The country has faced a difficult summer, now entering its third heatwave. A fire in Almeria earlier this month killed 13 people, making it one of Spain's deadliest in recent memory.

Scientists say human-caused climate change is increasing the length, intensity, and frequency of heatwaves, drying out vegetation and raising the risk of destructive wildfires. In 2025, more than 393,000 hectares (971,000 acres) were destroyed by fire, according to the European Forest Fire Information System, the most in Spain's recent history.

Source: www.aljazeera.com