Wildfire scorches 12,000 hectares in central Spain's Guadalajara province

A wildfire raging 100 kilometres (60 miles) north of Madrid has spread, burning more than 12,000 hectares and forcing several hundred people to evacuate, local authorities announced on Sunday.

The fire that started on Thursday in Guadalajara province, which includes the Sierra Norte Natural Park, has not caused any casualties so far but has been described as "difficult" by regional president Emiliano Garcia-Page and local authorities on X.

It broke out in a forest-covered, mountainous region that is home to endangered species including eagles, wolves and butterflies.

It comes hot on the heels of a blaze that started on Wednesday near Zaragoza, in the northeast, has burned nearly 16,000 hectares and is "far from under control", according to the latest update provided on Saturday evening by the regional government of Aragon.

No casualties have been reported.
Earlier this month, Spain witnessed one of the deadliest wildfires in its recent history, when a blaze in the southern province of Almeria killed 13 people and destroyed 7,000 hectares.

Read more Nine foreign nationals, including French woman, among 13 victims of Spain's deadly wildfire

Spain is on the front line of climate change and has experienced increasingly long and frequent heatwaves in recent years, with temperatures well above 40C, creating conditions conducive to devastating fires.

Scientists say human-driven climate change is increasing the length, intensity and frequency of heatwaves, which dry out vegetation and contribute to the likelihood of wildfires.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)