Spain seeks EU aid as wildfires spread during record heatwave

A man holds a branch to use against a wildfire in Zamora, Spain, 13 August, 2025.
Reuters

Spain is calling on European partners for assistance as wildfires rage across the country during one of its longest and hottest heatwaves on record.

Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska announced on Wednesday that Spain has requested two Canadair firefighting planes from its European partners to help combat ongoing wildfires.

"At the moment we don't need the two Canadair planes urgently, but, given the weather forecast, we want to have those planes in our national territory as soon as possible so they can be used, should they be necessary," he said.

The fires have already claimed the life of a volunteer firefighter and left several others hospitalised with severe burns.

State weather agency AEMET has placed nearly the entire country under extreme or very high fire risk.

Spain is currently enduring its 10th consecutive day of a heatwave, with temperatures reaching 45°C (113°F) on Tuesday, a record-breaking spell expected to last until Monday.

Tags