The plenary session of the European Parliament has given final approval this Tuesday to the mobilization of 120.55 million euros from the European Union Solidarity Fund in order to support Spain in covering the damages caused by the severe forest fires of August 2025. This allocation is part of a global package of 144.1 million euros that will also be distributed among Romania and Cyprus.
With 642 votes in favor, 13 against, and one abstention, the European Parliament, meeting in Strasbourg (France), has closed the processing of the proposal put forward by the European Commission last May. In this way, Spain becomes the main beneficiary of these resources, following fires that affected sixteen autonomous communities and whose direct damages were valued by the authorities at more than 4.3 billion euros.
Spain will thus concentrate more than 80% of the total authorized amount, while Romania will receive 14.34 million euros to deal with the floods recorded between May and June 2025, and Cyprus will receive 9.21 million to address the damages caused by the fires that occurred in July of last year.
This European aid will serve to finance emergency and reconstruction actions, such as the repair of essential public infrastructures and services, the cleaning of damaged areas, temporary accommodation for affected people, and the deployment of rescue services, among other urgent interventions.
Spain had already obtained an advance of 30 million euros to cover the initial needs arising from the catastrophe, so the payment approved this Tuesday will complete the foreseen contribution from the Solidarity Fund.
Forest fires in the Balearic Islands
Forest fires burned more than 17 hectares in the Balearic Islands during 2025. Specifically, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Environment, there were 82 fires that affected 13.4 hectares of non-forested vegetation and 3.7 hectares of forested vegetation.
However, in 2024, fire ravaged nearly 320 hectares of the archipelago, the vast majority in Mallorca, where large-scale fires occurred in s'Albufera and Andratx, burning 100 and 70 hectares, respectively.
Until mid-June of this year, fire extinction services have acted in nearly 30 forest fires, which have affected more than six hectares.
Thus, this year the teams and media that will be deployed during the 2026 campaign to combat forest fires will include a drone unit that will be able to show live images of the evolution of the fires.
In total, there are 350 professionals from the Balearic Institute of Nature (Ibanat), the Forest Management Service, and environmental agents.