Fire threatening Spain tourist hotspot partly controlled

MADRID – Spanish firefighters said on July 4 that a wildfire threatening the Costa Brava coast has devoured a huge area of trees and bush and forced the evacuation of 150 tourists from a camp.

The fire broke out on July 3 outside the north-eastern municipality of La Bisbal d’Emporda, near a picturesque coastline usually full of holidaymakers this time of year.

It has reduced around 2,200ha of forest to ash, the regional fire service said in a statement. But firefighters have controlled more than two-thirds of the blaze.

Hundreds of firefighters worked through the night and “have stabilised around 70 per cent of the right flank of the fire”.

“Now the objective is to consolidate before the winds change, which is forecast for midday,” it added.

No injuries have been reported.

Catalonia regional emergency services said around 150 people had been evacuated, including about 70 children, from a holiday camp.

Spain is on the front line of climate change, which scientists say increases the intensity, frequency and duration of the extreme heat that fuels wildfires.

Deadly wildfires devoured almost 400,000ha of land in 2025, the highest figure recorded for the country by the European Forest Fire Information System. AFP