Spain is on fire—literally. In Catalonia, over 18,000 people have been ordered to stay inside as a huge wildfire spreads near Tarragona. Flames have already destroyed almost 3,000 hectares of land.
The fire began early Monday near the small village of Pauls. At first, it seemed far away. But by Tuesday, strong winds and dry heat pushed it closer to homes. Firefighters rushed in, but the wind made it nearly impossible to control.
By midnight, gusts hit 90 kilometers per hour. The mountains of Pauls were glowing red with fire. The smell of smoke covered the villages of Xerta and Aldover. People there didn’t sleep.
“We were crying all night. The fire was right there. We couldn’t even leave our house because of the smoke,” said Rosa Veleda, a 76-year-old resident.
The fire spread fast through the rough, dry land. More than 300 firefighters and an emergency military team are now working on the ground. Helicopters can’t fly safely yet, so most of the effort is on foot and by trucks.
A big danger was the Ebro River. If the fire crossed it, things would’ve gotten worse. Luckily, crews stopped the flames from jumping over.
A massive forest fire has broken out in Paüls, Baix Ebre, province of Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain….🔥pic.twitter.com/SJe2xVlS2u
— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) July 7, 2025
About 30% of the burnt land is inside the Ports Natural Park. This is a protected area with rare trees and wildlife. Now, much of it is gone.
Why is Catalonia burning?
Spain just had its hottest June ever. No rain. Dry forests. Strong winds. It’s a perfect mix for disaster. Two people already died in a fire in Catalonia on July 1.
People are scared. But they’re also angry. Why isn’t more being done to protect forests? Why are we still acting like wildfires are a surprise?
Investigators are now trying to find out how this fire started. Was it a careless camper? A spark from power lines? Or something worse?
For now, residents remain indoors. Roads are blocked. Schools are shut. And the sky is thick with smoke.
This fire is not just about Catalonia. It’s about how Europe—and the world—is heating up. Fast. Every summer gets hotter. Every fire spreads quicker.
And yet, we’re still slow to react.
Catalonia is burning. And it’s not just nature that’s being destroyed—it’s our sense of safety too.
