Wildfires Burn 77,000 Hectares in Spain; National State of Emergency Declared

• Over 77,000 hectares have been incinerated by wildfires in the Madrid, Ávila, and Toledo regions.
• Approximately 120,000 people have been confined or evacuated across 39 affected localities.
• Total burnt area in Spain this year reached 150,000 hectares, nearly four times the 2006-25 average, according to EFFIS data.
• International assistance from Portugal, Italy, and Greece is currently supporting Spanish extinction efforts.

Government Response

• Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the government will declare the affected areas as severely damaged by emergency in a royal decree during the July 28 cabinet meeting.
• Madrid regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso plans to initiate recovery plans for infrastructure and aid for farmers and livestock owners immediately.
• Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska declared a national state of emergency last Thursday due to extreme weather conditions, including temperatures over 30°C and wind gusts exceeding 50 km/h.

Vall d'Uixó Crisis

• A separate wildfire in Vall d'Uixó (Castelló) has burned 4,300 hectares since Saturday morning.
• The fire perimeter has reached 40 kilometers, with 450 personnel and 20 aerial assets deployed.
• Authorities suspect the fire was not caused by natural factors; twenty people have received medical treatment for smoke inhalation.
• Firefighters struggle with difficult terrain and unfavorable weather, with no immediate prospect for the return of evacuated residents.