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358,000 hectares in 15 days: how Spain burned during its darkest weeks

EL PAIS ยท Aug 23, 2025

explainer
stack: [qgis, ai2html, remote sensing]

Context

A map-based explainer about Spain's 2025 wildfire peak, focused on burned area, territorial concentration, and short-term air-quality effects.

My role

  • Cartography
  • Data analysis
  • Frontend development

I worked on data processing, map production, and visual integration for the story.

Data and methodology

The analysis used EFFIS wildfire perimeters, Sentinel-2 imagery, and European Environment Agency air-quality data.

We combined fire perimeters with administrative boundaries to compare regional and provincial impact over time.

Key decisions

  • We prioritized recent-week context to show the speed and scale of the August surge.
  • We used simple map and chart modules to connect burned area, geography, and air-quality change.
  • The visual structure kept comparisons straightforward at national, regional, and EU levels.

Result

The final piece provides a clear snapshot of Spain's most critical wildfire period in 2025.

Impact and learnings

  • The project supports a repeatable workflow for rapid wildfire monitoring and public-facing map explainers.

Links