Spain continues to battle severe wildfires spreading across several regions of the country. This week, over a thousand servicemembers from the Military Emergency Unit (Unidad Militar de Emergencias, UME) have been deployed to affected areas. Their main tasks are to contain fire outbreaks, create firebreaks, and assist in evacuating residents.
On Wednesday afternoon, at a gas station 60 kilometers from Valladolid, UME personnel take a brief rest before their next shift. They are part of mobile teams dispatched to the most dangerous areas, where fires threaten residential communities. That day, 14 active wildfire spots were recorded throughout the country, with more than a thousand soldiers on the frontline and another 2,500 handling logistics and preparing to relieve their colleagues.
The situation is especially difficult in the province of Zamora, where in the municipality of Molezuelas de la Carballeda, the fire has destroyed over 22,000 hectares of forest. More than two hundred troops have been involved here. In nearby villages such as Abejera, the fire approached homes, forcing a rapid evacuation of residents.
UME personnel work closely with firefighters, police, and local authorities. Their actions are coordinated by regional emergency management centers. After the declaration of the second level of alert, which is introduced under especially challenging conditions, the military can be called in to help extinguish fires at the request of autonomous communities.
In Abejera, a village with just over a hundred residents, the military arrived in the evening to relieve their colleagues and assist with the evacuation. Suddenly, the wind picked up sharply, drastically changing the situation: the fire spread rapidly, and within minutes the flames reached the edge of the houses. Residents had to abandon their homes in haste, while the military helped organize the evacuation, accompanying convoys of vehicles and directing people to safe locations.
During the evacuation, special attention was given to families with children and the elderly. The military helped load young children into cars, explained the next steps, and coordinated with emergency services to clarify routes to temporary shelters. After people were taken out of the danger zone, some units stayed behind to protect the homes and extinguish local fires together with residents.
According to authorities, around 8,000 people have been evacuated in Spain in recent days due to the wildfires. In some cases, the fire spreads faster than the emergency services can respond, especially with sudden weather changes and strong winds. There are already victims in the region, including two in serious condition, and casualties have been reported among volunteers involved in firefighting.
Authorities in the autonomous communities emphasize that all necessary resources are being dispatched to disaster zones as requests from specialists are received. At the same time, it is noted that weather conditions are significantly complicating the work of firefighters and the military. During periods when the wind calms down, noticeable progress is made in containing the fire.
According to current legislation, regional governments are responsible for the prevention and extinguishing of forest fires. However, in the event of major emergencies, national forces, including UME, become involved. The military regularly conducts joint training exercises with local services to ensure coordinated action in real-world situations.
In some cases, residents refuse to leave their homes until the very last moment, trying to save their property. The military warns that such actions can be dangerous and urges people to strictly follow rescue service instructions.
The wildfire season in Spain is traditionally challenging, but this summer is already being called one of the most difficult in recent years, especially in the province of Zamora. Experts note that such extreme situations recur every few years and require the full mobilization of all available resources.
