Drone footage shows over 150 sq km burned in northern Spain wildfire

A drone‑captured video released by regional authorities on Tuesday illustrated the sheer magnitude of a wildfire raging in the northern Spanish province of León, where satellite data and on‑the‑ground reports confirm that more than 150 square kilometres of forest and scrubland have been consumed. The aerial footage, taken from an altitude of roughly 300 metres, shows a sprawling plume of smoke and a network of fire fronts cutting across rugged terrain, underscoring the difficulty of containment in the steep, heavily vegetated area. The blaze, first reported late Monday night, has prompted the deployment of over 500 firefighters, several aerial water‑dropping units, and a coordinated response from the Civil Guard and local emergency services.

Officials from the Junta de Castilla y León said that evacuation orders were issued for three small villages, affecting approximately 800 residents, while nearby road networks remain partially closed to facilitate the movement of emergency crews. The cause of the fire is under investigation, though authorities have not ruled out a link to recent heatwaves and strong winds that have heightened fire risk across the region. As containment efforts continue, the government has pledged additional resources and will maintain heightened monitoring of the affected zone until the fire is fully extinguished.