Images
July 29, 2026 - Wildfires in Spain
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Extreme heat and strong winds combined with lingering drought to created extreme fire risk in portions of Europe by mid-summer 2026. In addition, in some areas, a wet winter triggered lush growth that has withered in the summer heat, becoming crisp, dry tinder just waiting for a spark to blaze into a rapidly-growing inferno.
Hundreds of heat-related fires cropped up across Europe in recent weeks, with the worst located near Bordeaux, France and west of Madrid, Spain. According to a report by CNN, Spain’s Prime Minister said these fires were “the most painful expression of a climate emergency”. This report also states that more than 100,000 square miles of land near Madrid have been affected by the wildfires. Additional reports note that more than 56,500 people in the Madrid region were evacuated due to those fires, with additional evacuations near Avila, Toledo, and Valencia, Spain.
On July 24, NASA evacuated the Madrid Deep Space Communications Complex (MDSCC) located about 65 kilometers (40 miles) west of Madrid due to a major wildfire in the region. The European Space Agency (ESA) also evacuated a ground station located about 77 kilometers (48 miles) west of Madrid. Current reports state that, although wildfire swept through at least a portion of the grounds, that both facilities came through the fires with little or no significant damage.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this true-color image of smoke pouring from active wildfires west of Madrid, Spain on July 26. Additional smoke to the east appears to originate from wildfires near Valencia, Spain but also appears to be joined by smoke pumped out by other wildfires burning in more northerly regions.
Additional MODIS imagery acquired on July 28 shows these fires covering a smaller area and pouring less smoke into the atmosphere, which correlates well with news reports that most of the fires in this particular region have been brought under control. Some evacuees have been permitted to return to their homes. However, the weather reports are calling for the return of excessive heat, potentially exceeding 40ºC (104ºF) in the Madrid region for the next several days. This will bring a return to extreme fire weather, complicating fire fighting efforts and increasing the risk for the ignition and spread of wildfire.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 7/26/2026
Resolutions:
1km (242 KB), 500m (805.1 KB), 250m (2.3 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
Extreme heat and strong winds combined with lingering drought to created extreme fire risk in portions of Europe by mid-summer 2026. In addition, in some areas, a wet winter triggered lush growth that has withered in the summer heat, becoming crisp, dry tinder just waiting for a spark to blaze into a rapidly-growing inferno.
Hundreds of heat-related fires cropped up across Europe in recent weeks, with the worst located near Bordeaux, France and west of Madrid, Spain. According to a report by CNN, Spain’s Prime Minister said these fires were “the most painful expression of a climate emergency”. This report also states that more than 100,000 square miles of land near Madrid have been affected by the wildfires. Additional reports note that more than 56,500 people in the Madrid region were evacuated due to those fires, with additional evacuations near Avila, Toledo, and Valencia, Spain.
On July 24, NASA evacuated the Madrid Deep Space Communications Complex (MDSCC) located about 65 kilometers (40 miles) west of Madrid due to a major wildfire in the region. The European Space Agency (ESA) also evacuated a ground station located about 77 kilometers (48 miles) west of Madrid. Current reports state that, although wildfire swept through at least a portion of the grounds, that both facilities came through the fires with little or no significant damage.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this true-color image of smoke pouring from active wildfires west of Madrid, Spain on July 26. Additional smoke to the east appears to originate from wildfires near Valencia, Spain but also appears to be joined by smoke pumped out by other wildfires burning in more northerly regions.
Additional MODIS imagery acquired on July 28 shows these fires covering a smaller area and pouring less smoke into the atmosphere, which correlates well with news reports that most of the fires in this particular region have been brought under control. Some evacuees have been permitted to return to their homes. However, the weather reports are calling for the return of excessive heat, potentially exceeding 40ºC (104ºF) in the Madrid region for the next several days. This will bring a return to extreme fire weather, complicating fire fighting efforts and increasing the risk for the ignition and spread of wildfire.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 7/26/2026
Resolutions:
1km (242 KB), 500m (805.1 KB), 250m (2.3 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
