Spanish authorities have lifted lockdown measures for thousands of residents in Catalonia after firefighters made progress in containing a forest fire that has raged since Monday, July 7, in the northeastern region.
The wildfire has consumed over 3,300 hectares (8,154 acres) in Tarragona province, with approximately one-third of the damage occurring within the protected Els Ports natural park, according to Catalan countryside rangers.
On Tuesday, July 8, authorities issued a stay-at-home order affecting around 18,000 people as flames threatened residential areas. That order was lifted on Wednesday for most affected villages, except for the municipality of Pauls. Residents of Pauls were permitted to go outside but are still restricted from leaving the locality, the Catalan civil protection authority confirmed in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Catalonia’s fire service announced that the blaze had been “stabilised,” though efforts continue with the support of ground units, helicopters, and aircraft targeting hotspots in steep and remote terrain.
The fire follows weeks of extreme heat across Spain, with the national weather agency AEMET declaring June the hottest on record for the country. Scientists have warned that human-driven climate change is increasing the severity and duration of heatwaves, significantly raising the risk of wildfires.
Spain has witnessed a growing trend of destructive fires in recent years. In 2022, approximately 500 wildfires scorched more than 300,000 hectares across the country, the highest figure recorded in Europe. So far in 2025, around 21,000 hectares have been lost to fire.
