Barcelona wildfire rages near major tourist hotspot as residents ordered indoors

Thousands of Barcelona residents have been ordered to stay inside as a wildfire spreads through the Collserola hills, with the situation becoming serious enough for emergency authorities to confine two neighbourhoods while firefighters work to stop the flames advancing further.

An ES-Alert has been sent to residents of Torre Baró and Ciutat Meridiana, telling them to stay at home, close doors and windows and not go outside. Around 14,000 people live in the two neighbourhoods, which sit alongside the forested hills in the north of the city. 

Fire threatens Barcelona’s Collserola green space

The fire is burning in a scrubland area near Canyelles, above the Alta de Roquetes road. A large column of smoke is visible from numerous parts of Barcelona, while firefighters are concentrating on containing the blaze as it moves towards the north-east, in the direction of Torre Baró. 

One of Barcelona’s best-known green spaces is also affected. Collserola,  a popular destination for walkers, cyclists, nature lovers and tourists, with its hills, viewpoints and attractions including Tibidabo and the Collserola Tower sitting immediately beside the city.

Incendi important a Collserola prop de Canyelles. pic.twitter.com/dKfezHZcCC

— Marc Lesan (@Marc_Lesan) August 25, 2026

Residents ordered to stay inside

The confinement order marks a significant escalation in the emergency. Residents in the two affected neighbourhoods are not being told simply to avoid the fire zone, they have been instructed to remain inside their homes while emergency crews tackle the flames. The ES-Alert tells people to close doors and windows and not leave their homes, with anyone facing an emergency instructed to call 112. 

Several roads have also been closed around Collserola, including the route between Horta and Cerdanyola, the road to the Collserola cemetery and the Alta de Roquetes road.The restrictions are allowing emergency crews to reach the fire while keeping members of the public away from the affected area. For people living close to the hills, the immediate priority is therefore to stay indoors and follow further instructions rather than attempting to leave the affected neighbourhoods independently.

Firefighters battle the blaze

Firefighters from both the Generalitat and Barcelona are now working on the fire. The Generalitat has deployed five aerial resources and three water vehicles, along with specialist GRAF crews, to support Barcelona firefighters on the ground. Their efforts are focused on containing the fire’s right flank and preventing it from spreading further towards populated areas.  The fire began at around 03.20pm on this afternoon, August 25, in an area of scrubland close to Canyelles.

It has since produced a substantial smoke column that can be seen from across Barcelona and the surrounding metropolitan area. The emergency has generated a significant number of calls to 112. Initial reports recorded hundreds of calls, while later figures showed the number had risen to more than 1,000, reflecting the scale of the smoke and flames visible across the city. 

Fire burning close to Barcelona neighbourhoods

The location of the blaze is adding to the concern. Collserola stretches directly alongside densely populated parts of Barcelona, leaving little distance between the forested terrain and residential areas. The latest reports indicate that the fire is moving towards the north-east, in the direction of Torre Baró.

That is why authorities have taken the additional step of confining residents in Torre Baró and Ciutat Meridiana while firefighters work to contain the flames.  There is currently no confirmed evacuation order for the two neighbourhoods. The instruction is to remain indoors, rather than to leave the area. That means residents should not attempt to drive away simply because they have received the alert. Emergency services are controlling access around the fire and will issue further instructions if the situation changes.

🔴Por orden de Bombers, todo el barrio de Torre Baró queda confinado a raiz del incendio en Collserola. Se nos quema todo 🥹 pic.twitter.com/hlWOHalF0s

— Mikel (@Mikel270201) August 25, 2026

What happens next?

Firefighters are continuing their efforts to prevent the blaze from spreading further while aerial and ground resources remain deployed. The immediate concern is the fire’s proximity to populated parts of northern Barcelona. Keeping the flames away from homes and other buildings will depend on whether crews can contain the advancing sections of the blaze before they reach more heavily populated areas.

The emergency comes less than two weeks after another significant wildfire affected Collserola. That fire, which began around Sant Pere Màrtir on 14 August, burned around 10 hectares of forest and led to the temporary confinement of residents in Can Caralleu. A man was also detained over his alleged connection to that blaze. 

For residents affected by today’s fire, however, the guidelines given by the local Government are for them to stay inside, keep doors and windows closed and follow official emergency instructions. Firefighters remain at the scene as the authorities monitor the direction and behaviour of the flames. Until the fire is brought under control, the confinement affecting Torre Baró and Ciutat Meridiana remains in place.