Key facts
- Wildfires have burned approximately 45,000 hectares in Madrid and Ávila.
- 100,000 people have been evacuated or confined to their homes in Madrid and Ávila.
- A fire in Vall d'Uixò has a 21-kilometer perimeter, leading to 16,000 evacuations.
- The national emergency has been extended to Toledo province.
- Over 152,000 hectares have been devastated by wildfires in Spain in 2026.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the ongoing wildfires as a "disaster" that is "very hard to accept," urging the public to exercise extreme caution. Speaking from a joint command center in Navalcarnero, Sánchez highlighted the positive work done overnight and the effective cooperation between different government levels, including the Military Emergency Unit (UME) which has established a unified command for the fires in Madrid and Ávila.
The wildfires have already devastated approximately 45,000 hectares in Madrid and Ávila, forcing 100,000 people to evacuate or remain confined to their homes. The fire in Vall d'Uixò, Castellón, has a perimeter of 21 kilometers and has led to 16,000 evacuations. The Interior Ministry has expanded the national emergency to Toledo province due to the Almorox fire. International aid from Portugal, Greece, and Italy has joined the efforts to combat the severe blazes. In total, wildfires have ravaged over 152,000 hectares across Spain in 2026, a sixfold increase compared to the previous year.