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Aragon and Castilla-La Mancha could wake up days after Saturday with the same concerns as today. The two major fires ravaging their territories have not been brought under control, and the outlook for the coming hours has given little cause for optimism among those leading the firefighting effort.
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What began on Wednesday as a small outbreak in Orés has, four days later, become the most destructive forest fire of 2026 on Spanish soil. Preliminary estimates put the burnt area at around 15,400 hectares, with a perimeter of roughly 60 kilometres.
The good news, if it can be called that, is that firefighters have managed to stop the fire at the gates of Luesia, preventing the flames from reaching the town centre. The bad news is that the front is still active, and its advance towards Biota, another municipality in the area, is now causing concern.
As was already the case in Orés, Asín, Malpica de Arba and Uncastillo, as well as in the Navarre town of Petilla de Aragón, the way the wind shifts will continue to set the pace over the coming days.
Guadalajara, where almost 530 people have been evacuated
In La Mierla, in the Sierra Norte of Guadalajara, the situation is no better. The fire has forced 529 residents to leave their homes across eleven municipalities and has already laid waste to several thousand hectares.
One of the most closely watched flanks at the moment is the one moving towards Semillas, where crews are focusing their efforts on saving homes before the flames reach built-up area.
Roads in the area remain closed as a precaution, and Civil Protection is continuing to send ES-Alert warnings to the mobile phones of nearby residents, instructing them to stay away from the fire perimeter.
Adverse conditions for firefighting teams
The common thread in both fires is the extra difficulty caused by the weather. High temperatures, shifting winds and, in parts, steep terrain are making the work of both ground crews and the aircraft deployed much more complicated.
In neither Zaragoza nor Guadalajara has the perimeter of the fires been declared under control, forcing emergency services to remain fully mobilised with no room to ease their vigilance.