Devastated villages and residents fighting the flames: the aftermath of the fires in Galicia.

Ourense, Aug 14 (EFE).- Destroyed villages, burning homes, dead animals, and people struggling to help fight the blaze are the consequences of the wave of fires in Galicia, mainly in the province of Ourense, where residents are lacking more resources despite the deployment.

The fires have destroyed nearly 24,000 hectares in recent days in the Galician community, more than eight times the total area burned in 2024—one of the mildest years on record—but beyond the large numbers, the ravages of the fire are evident in the villages.

In A Caridade, a town of 60 inhabitants in the municipality of Monterrei (Ourense), the scene is one of desolation: around twenty houses razed to the ground by fire, dead animals, and burnt-out cars.

Neighbors denounce lack of resources

"Right now I'm collecting the animals that died," Manuel, one of his neighbors, told EFE. He says the situation has been "tremendous chaos" and that they have felt "helpless" and "abandoned."

The fire that started in Oímbra-A Granxa reached this small town near Verín on Wednesday afternoon. It is still active and has already destroyed 5,000 hectares.

There were no evacuation orders or evacuations, according to Manuel, who believes the disaster could have been avoided. "I've been left with nothing," he laments, deeply distressed after having spent the entire night without sleep. His house was "miraculously" saved, but two dozen buildings in the village were burned.

Residents of A Caridade complain that the fire engines that had responded to the village left when the flames threatened their homes and have criticized the organization of the firefighting teams.

In the province of Ourense alone, more than 900 troops and 31 aircraft were deployed, according to an announcement made on Wednesday by the president of the Galician regional government, Alfonso Rueda.

The entire province is under emergency status 2, and resources from the Military Emergency Unit (UME) and Portugal are also working there. However, in the areas affected by the fire, some residents believe the response has been insufficient.

Neighborhood resistance in A Gudiña

"That fire we have all over there was supposed to be put out last night, but they ignored us and refused to use the bulldozer; they were stopped all night," says a resident of A Gudiña.

In this municipality, near the province of Zamora, residents are also busy fighting the flames: "Yesterday we were out until four in the morning, and the day before yesterday as well," explains another resident.

They help firefighters while they create firebreaks by pouring buckets of water on the ground.

Coordination

"There was a pretty good brigade yesterday morning. They started by making a firebreak, using buckets to pour water on the ground, and they worked hard. The fire was put out well, but then, in the afternoon, there was no coordination and no one showed up," explains one resident.

Residents are urging people to listen to the locals and to be guided more by those who know the area. "They're going to let the town burn down because they don't listen to the people," laments one, who recounts how several people single-handedly pulled a car that was almost engulfed in flames.

The fire that broke out between A Gudiña and A Mezquita has caused the disruption of rail service between Madrid and Galicia, which remains suspended.

Ashes at the Manzaneda ski resort

The Manzaneda ski resort was also affected by the flames, which left the area in ashes, except for the hotel and the buildings that make up the complex, where more than 100 children from a camp were confined on the night of Wednesday into Thursday.

One of the spaces that has been saved is the soccer field, where several cows that were grazing freely in the mountains have gathered to eat some grass.

The normally green hills have turned black in an area where, according to locals, the significant presence of heather—a plant used to make charcoal and whose roots retain heat—is contributing to the flare-ups, as is the wind.

Second largest fire in history in Galicia

The flames of the Chandrexa de Queixa fire have reached Manzaneda, which has already devastated 10,500 hectares and has become the second largest in history recorded in Galicia, after the O Courel fire in 2022 (11,800 ha).

The flames have also forced the lockdown and evacuation of several towns in the province, according to 112 Galicia.

Photograph: 08/14/2025.- A person fights the flames of the A Gudiña fire (Ourense), this Thursday. The DGT (Directorate General of Traffic) has reported that traffic on the A-52 highway is closed between kilometers 124 and 129 due to forest fires, specifically in the A Gudiña area. The highway is closed in both directions on that section, and the N-525 is also affected at kilometers 129 and 86. EFE/ Sxenick