La Mierla Wildfire Reaches 29,000 Hectares, Becoming Spain’s Largest Blaze of 2026

A wildfire in the area of La Mierla, in northern Guadalajara province, has grown to 29,000 hectares, becoming the largest blaze in Spain this year and the biggest ever recorded in Castilla-La Mancha. The fire, which broke out on July 16, remains out of control as of July 21—forcing the evacuation of more than 1,200 people across 34 municipalities.

The perimeter of the fire has stretched to 120 kilometers: overnight between Sunday and Monday alone, the flames advanced by roughly 10 kilometers. An emergency ES-Alert notification was broadcast on Sunday evening—right as Spain was playing in the World Cup final—ordering the evacuation of the town of Hiendelaencina. Movement restrictions were also placed on residents in the municipalities of Albendiego, Ujados, Cañamares, La Miñosa, and Tordeloso, with nearly a dozen roads partially or completely closed.

On Tuesday, the wildfire situation escalated as the flames reached Soria province. Thirty-one residents of the village of Barcones were evacuated due to poor air quality, while 45 residents of Arenillas were placed under confinement with a potential evacuation order. Nevertheless, that same day, President of Castilla-La Mancha Emiliano García-Page stated that firefighters had "practically halted" the fire's advance toward Soria and that efforts were "starting to see light at the end of the tunnel," though conditions remain "extremely unfavorable."

Authorities have already estimated damages from the fire at nearly €50 million.

Investigation into Vox Mayor

The Civil Guard has opened an investigation into Rubén Marchamalo, mayor of the municipality of Robledillo de Mohernando and a member of the Vox party. He is suspected of potentially triggering the La Mierla fire during agricultural work conducted with a combine harvester. A Vox spokesperson stated that "everything he and his family did complied with the law and was done taking all precautions," calling the allegations "politically motivated."

On Tuesday, the People's Party (PP) of Guadalajara demanded the "immediate deployment" of additional ground and air resources to combat the La Mierla blaze and called for declaring Level 3, the maximum emergency level. Lucas Castillo, provincial president of the People's Party, expressed the "despair and pain" felt by local mayors and council members "watching the uncontrolled spread of the fire." “We are talking about more than 1,200 people whose livelihoods, work, and memories are affected by this fire, and the worst part is—the situation is deteriorating,” he added.

Other Major Wildfires Across Spain

Aside from La Mierla, several other major wildfire blazes remain active across the country on Tuesday. In Teruel province, the fire near Ejulve has grown to approximately 1,100 hectares and remains at Level 2 emergency; the village of Molinos has been evacuated.

In Segovia province, the situation regarding the fire near Brieva—which broke out yesterday—improved today. Castilla y León regional authorities reported "favorable" progress following a night of "intense work." Still, 420 residents across eight municipalities remain evacuated, accommodated in neighboring villages or with relatives, while the village of Pelayos del Arroyo remains under confinement.

Separately, Catalan authorities declared an extreme wildfire risk on Tuesday across 74 municipalities in 13 counties, restricting access to natural areas including Baronia de Rialb, Ribera Salada (Lleida), and Montmell-Marmellar (Barcelona-Tarragona). An additional 386 municipalities in 35 counties were placed under "very high" risk alerts.

Good news came from Aragon, where residents evacuated due to last week’s fire in Orés have begun returning home.