Poland deploys 105 firefighters to Spain as wildfires destroy record 131,000 hectares and force 63,000 evacuations
A Polish contingent of 105 firefighters will join a European Union mission from August 1 after wildfires destroyed over 131,000 hectares in Spain, forced 63,000 people to leave their homes or shelter in place, and threatened a NASA communications complex near Madrid.
Spain battles devastating wildfires that have burned over 131,000 hectares this year, more than five times the 24,000 hectares lost at this point in 2025. Smoke from blazes near Madrid covered the capital on Saturday, where many residents donned masks and shut their windows.
Record destruction
The Ministry for Ecological Transition reported the nationwide burned area has already passed 131,000 hectares. In the same period last year, 24,000 hectares were scorched. By Saturday, thick grey smoke and the sharp smell of burning had reached central Madrid. The interior ministry said 63,000 people were ordered to evacuate or remain inside their homes.
- 2025
- 24000 hectares
- 2026
- 131000 hectares
Inferno near the capital
Roughly 20,000 hectares were actively burning in woodlands west of Madrid on Saturday. After a brief respite on Friday when temperatures fell and humidity rose, winds intensified on Saturday morning with irregular gusts. Officials warned conditions would be "difficult." Carlos Novillo, head of Madrid's crisis management, stated that the fire had grown beyond the reach of ground crews.
The fire has reached its apogee and is now beyond the capabilities of firefighters to bring it under control.
The flames approached the NASA Deep Space Network station in Robledo de Chavela, about 63 km west of the capital. The facility, one of three sites in the global communications network alongside Goldstone, California, and Canberra, Australia, was evacuated of its roughly 90 employees. Lola Cadierno, an executive assistant, said nobody remained inside to verify whether the flames had reached the buildings.
We cannot confirm that the flames have reached the site, because nobody is inside.
- Fire reaches apogee, exceeds control capabilities
- Wind strengthens, NASA station evacuated, 63,000 people told to evacuate or shelter
- Polish GFFF modules deploy to Castilla-La Mancha for month-long mission
International mobilization
Poland announced it would send 105 firefighters in three monthly rotations from August 1, the Ministry of Interior and Administration said in a social media post. The crews belong to the State Fire Service's GFFF (Ground Forest Fire Fighting) modules, seven of which were established in early 2026. They will be pre-positioned in Castilla-La Mancha, near Madrid, carrying beaters, back pumps and hand tools. They form part of a nearly 800-strong contingent supplied by 14 EU member states under the Civil Protection Mechanism.
All the firefighting equipment is carried on their shoulders. This includes beaters, back pumps and hand tools.
Italy and Greece have also dispatched assistance. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned on Saturday that the country faced "difficult hours" because changing wind direction and speed could accelerate the fires. He said the blazes in the Community of Madrid and Ávila province would be handled as a single operation, and he called for a nationwide pact on climate change.
French front
On the other side of the Pyrenees, wildfires have burned tens of thousands of hectares in France. The Gironde department ordered further preventive evacuations and deployed additional soldiers to support firefighting as strong winds and high temperatures persisted.
