Green Forest Fire Threatens Key Submarine Cable Infrastructure

What Happened

On July 7, 2026, at 22:03 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), a major wildfire broke out in the Green Forest area near the Spanish coast. The fire is spreading rapidly due to dry weather and strong winds, and it remains active and continues to grow. The affected area is known for its proximity to critical infrastructure, including submarine cable landing stations that serve as key nodes for global internet connectivity.

Cables in the Area

Within a 500 km radius of the fire, GeoCables has identified several key submarine cables that play a vital role in international data transmission. These cables connect Europe, Africa, and Asia, facilitating global communication and data exchange. Among them:

• Hawk (3,400.0 km, RFS 2011, FLAG): This cable connects Europe to the Middle East and Asia via Marseille, France, which is located 247.4 km from the fire zone. Hawk is known for its high data transmission capacity.
• 2Africa (45,000.0 km, RFS 2024, Bayobab, China Mobile): A large-scale cable system designed to connect Africa, Europe, and Asia. Its landing station in Barcelona, Spain, is just 90.8 km from the fire, making it one of the closest cables to the affected area.
• Medusa Submarine Cable System (8,760.0 km, RFS 2026, AFRIX Telecom): This cable, also landing in Barcelona, Spain (90.8 km from the fire), is a critical link for Mediterranean connectivity and is set to begin operations later this year.
• Penbal-5 (315.0 km, RFS 1994, Telefonica): A short cable connecting Spain to the Balearic Islands, with its landing station in Gava, Spain, located 107.4 km from the fire zone.
• Med Cable Network (1,300.0 km, RFS 2005, Orascom Telecom Holding): This cable connects North Africa to Europe, with its landing station in Marseille, France, situated 247.4 km from the fire zone.
• EMC West-2 (3,978.0 km, RFS 2027, EMC Subsea Cable Company Limited): A planned new cable system connecting Europe and Africa, with its landing station in Marseille, France, also located 247.4 km from the fire zone.
• Blue (5,055.0 km, RFS 2023, Google, Sparkle): This cable connects Europe to the Middle East and Asia, with its landing station in Marseille, France, 247.4 km from the fire zone.
• Atlas Offshore (1,634.0 km, RFS 2007, Maroc Telecom): Connecting Morocco to Europe, this cable also lands in Marseille, France, 247.4 km from the fire zone.

What Our Measurements Show

GeoCables is actively monitoring the performance of all submarine cables near the Green Forest wildfire. Our measurements indicate that the baseline round-trip time (Baseline RTT) for the Hawk cable has significantly increased. RTT rose from 49.0 ms to 114.9 ms, reflecting a deviation of +65.8 ms. This deviation is notably high, reaching 9.9σ above the baseline level, which may indicate potential infrastructure disruptions or traffic rerouting to alternative paths. For all other cables in the region, performance metrics remain within normal operational ranges, demonstrating their resilience and stability despite the ongoing wildfire.

Context and Risks

The Green Forest wildfire poses a significant risk to nearby infrastructure, including submarine cables. While the fire itself is unlikely to directly damage submarine cables, the proximity of landing stations and terrestrial infrastructure to the fire zone raises concerns about potential disruptions. The observed RTT increase for the Hawk cable may suggest infrastructure strain or rerouting measures undertaken to ensure uninterrupted connectivity. The Blue cable, given its proximity to the affected area, is also under close observation due to its critical role in connecting Europe to other regions.

Further Monitoring

GeoCables is committed to continuous and proactive monitoring of all submarine cables in the region impacted by the Green Forest wildfire. Special attention will be given to the Hawk and Blue cables, as their proximity to the fire zone and observed performance changes warrant heightened vigilance. We will track RTT fluctuations and any changes in infrastructure status to ensure uninterrupted global connectivity and provide timely updates as the situation evolves.