Spain declares national emergency as wildfires rage; France evacuates 40,000
A wall of flames advances as a wildfire burns near Burgohondo, in Ávila province, Spain, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (Mateo Lanzuela/Europa Press via AP)(Mateo Lanzuela/Europa Press via )Spain has declared a national emergency after devastating wildfires forced the evacuation of around 10,000 people from villages in the central Madrid region, while southern France ordered tens of thousands more residents to flee as massive blazes continued to spread, AP reported.The emergency declaration means Spain's Interior Ministry, which oversees the country's police and security forces, has assumed command of firefighting operations as regional authorities struggle to contain multiple fires intensified by an ongoing heatwave.The regional government of Madrid said approximately 10,000 people were evacuated from several villages after multiple wildfires burned out of control late Thursday.Spain records one of its worst wildfire seasonsSpain has already seen an estimated 1,300 square kilometres (500 square miles) scorched by wildfires this year — more than four times the area burned during the same period in 2025, AP reported.Among this year's most destructive incidents is Spain's second-largest wildfire on record, which consumed around 320 square kilometres (120 square miles) in recent days in Guadalajara province, north of Madrid.Earlier this month, a wildfire in southern Spain claimed 13 lives, marking the country's deadliest blaze in recent memory.Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Wednesday called for a political consensus to address climate change, saying it is essential for adapting to increasingly fire-prone conditions.Meanwhile, temperatures are forecast to exceed 39 degrees Celsius (102 Fahrenheit) across parts of southeastern Spain, with some areas expected to reach as high as 44 degrees Celsius (111 Fahrenheit).France seeks European assistanceIn neighbouring France, authorities on Friday ordered additional evacuations along the Atlantic coast as major wildfires continued to spread.An estimated 40,000 people have been forced to leave their homes over the past two days because of a blaze that has burned more than 87 square kilometres (34 square miles) since Wednesday near the popular Cap Ferret peninsula. Some residents reportedly escaped by boat.France has activated the European Union's Civil Protection Mechanism to seek additional firefighting support."We will soon be able to rely on reinforcements including two Croatian Canadair firefighting aircraft, two Portuguese Air Tractor aircraft, and two heavy-lift Black Hawk helicopters from the Czech Republic and Slovakia," French President Emmanuel Macron said.Climate change intensifying wildfire riskSouthern Europe has experienced several large wildfires this summer as extreme heat continues to grip the region.According to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service, Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, with temperatures rising at twice the global average rate since the 1980s.Globally, 2025 was the third-hottest year on record, bringing severe heatwaves across Europe. Scientists warn that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of hot, dry conditions, particularly in southeastern Europe, making the region increasingly vulnerable to wildfires and their health impacts.About the AuthorLivemintFor about a decade, Livemint—News Desk has been a credible source for authentic and timely news, and well-researched analysis on national news, business, personal finance, corporates, politics and geopolitics. We bring the latest updates on all the listed companies on BSE and NSE, startups, mutual funds, Union ministries, geopolitics, and untapped human interest stories from around the world,
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