Wildfires Burn 77,000 Hectares in Spain; National State of Emergency Declared
El Salto
- 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.