A massive wildfire in Huesca put Librovicios, Aragón’s largest second-hand bookstore, at risk. The store, in the small village of Azanuy, holds more than 33,000 books. The fire broke out between Tamarite de Litera and Alcampell, forcing more than 240 residents of Azanuy, Alins del Monte and Calasanz to evacuate. Among them were Librovicios owners Pep Ors and Ana Obis, who left their collection behind as flames threatened their home and business.
Emergency services moved dozens of villagers to a sports residence in Monzón. Some evacuees found shelter with relatives; others stayed in temporary accommodation. Ors and Obis spent the night anxiously waiting for updates, knowing the fire could destroy their entire inventory within minutes if it reached their property.
Authorities also imposed a temporary lockdown in Fonz, confining its 886 residents to their homes as a precaution. The restriction was lifted the following morning as conditions improved and the smoke cleared. Despite the scale of the evacuation, many residents were frustrated by the abrupt orders and the uncertainty over when they could return home.
By Friday, the wildfire had consumed more than 2,000 hectares, and firefighters were working to secure a perimeter of roughly 4,000 hectares. José Carlos Campo, the Government’s subdelegate in Huesca, said the fire’s spread had been contained and hoped it would be stabilized by Saturday, weather permitting. Luis Biendicho, Aragón’s regional minister responsible for tourism and the environment, said crews were concentrating on the right flank, where dense forest was complicating containment.
Residents described the fear and confusion caused by the rapid evacuations. In Calasanz, villagers were given just five minutes to leave, then returned when they realized the fire was still distant. Power outages and repeated evacuations added to the strain, while some residents worried about food supplies left at home. The fire reportedly began when a spark from a harvester ignited dry vegetation, a reminder of the risks of agricultural work during periods of high fire danger.
The Huesca blaze was part of a severe wildfire season in Aragón. An October report by Diario del Alto Aragón said the region had recorded five major forest fires and 35,675 hectares burned by that point in 2026. Those figures cover the regional season, not the fire near Azanuy. The report quoted Biendicho calling the campaign “extraordinarily complex” and identified active forest management as a prevention priority.
A separate fire later that year at Las Peñas de Riglos and Bailo shows the scale of the season, but it was not part of the Azanuy incident. The blaze began on 10 August near Santa María de la Peña and the A-132 roadworks, ultimately affecting 16,285 hectares. It prompted the evacuation of 1,046 people from 19 population centres, along with two campsites and a camp. The emergency lasted 34 days, with extinction declared on 12 September, information from an October report by Moncloa.com.
The wildfire put Librovicios, its collection and the surrounding rural community at risk. Aragón, like much of Spain, faces recurring summer wildfire threats, making preparedness and coordinated action by authorities and residents critical. Librovicios’ story reflects the challenges local businesses and residents face during emergencies, much like the ability to recover Spanish journalists show as they adapt to changing circumstances, as discussed in a recent piece on the evolution of Spanish radio icons.
Large wildfires can disrupt daily life in rural communities, bringing evacuations, temporary accommodation and movement restrictions. The events in Huesca highlight the importance of emergency coordination and the difficulty of protecting homes, businesses and local heritage when fires approach populated areas.
