Spain declares emergency as wildfires force mass evacuations

Spain on Friday declared a national emergency over wildfires for the first time as rapidly spreading blazes, fuelled by extreme heat, forced the evacuation of more than 10,000 people near Madrid. France also sought assistance from the European Union to combat a major wildfire on its Atlantic coast, where around 40,000 people were evacuated.
According to agency reports, the Spanish government invoked the national emergency after three major wildfires broke out in the Madrid region and neighbouring Ávila province, enabling central authorities to coordinate firefighting and rescue operations. It marks the first time Spain has declared such an emergency due to wildfires. The last time the country issued the same level of alert was during a nationwide power blackout last year.More than 270 emergency personnel, 40 ground units and several contingents of Spain's Military Emergency Unit (UME) have been deployed to contain the fires.
In Navaluenga, in Ávila province, residents watched firefighting helicopters draw water from the local river as smoke engulfed the area. Many wore protective masks due to poor air quality."I've lived here for 36 years and I've never seen anything like it," local resident Javier Martin told Reuters, describing how the blaze quickly spiralled out of control despite initial efforts to contain it.

The Spanish government declared a national emergency after a series of wildfires threatened communities near Madrid and in the neighboring province of Avila, forcing more than 10,000 people to evacuate as firefighters struggled to contain the blazes https://t.co/QrXtcRKQMV

— Reuters (@Reuters) July 24, 2026

According to the European Union's European Forest Fire Information Service, more than 350 wildfires have been recorded in Spain so far this year. A record area of land was destroyed by fires in 2025, highlighting the growing impact of extreme weather across southern Europe.In neighbouring France, authorities ordered the complete evacuation of the Cap Ferret peninsula, a popular Atlantic coast tourist destination, as a massive wildfire spread through the region. Around 40,000 people were evacuated, with many transported to safety by boat.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the government had activated the European Union's Civil Protection Mechanism to seek international firefighting assistance. The Cap Ferret wildfire has already scorched about 8,700 hectares of land, and specialised firefighting aircraft from other European countries are expected to join efforts to contain the blaze.The twin crises in Spain and France come as much of Europe continues to face intense heatwaves, with high temperatures and dry conditions increasing the risk of large-scale wildfires across the continent.