Forest fires are out of control.. Spain declares a state of emergency in Madrid

Late Thursday, Spain declared a national emergency in the Madrid region and the Avila province near the capital, following out of control forest fires.
This measure, announced by the Ministry of Interior, aims to accelerate the mobilization of resources to fight fires, and also places responsibility for dealing with the crisis in the custody of a military emergency unit.

forest fires

More than 10,000 people were evacuated in recent days from various parts of the Madrid region, where several forest fires are burning at the same time.

On Thursday, the Spanish authorities ordered 3,500 people to leave their homes in a town west of the capital, Madrid, after forest fires got out of control.

Residents evacuated

Spanish media reports reported that the fire that broke out on Thursday in Avila was spreading widely, and orders had been issued to residents in the municipalities of Borgohundo, El Templo and Navaluega to remain inside their homes.

In addition, El País newspaper reported that 1,500 people were evacuated from a rural tourism complex and a residential complex in the El Templo area due to the rapidly advancing fire.
As for the largest fire, it is raging on the opposite side of Madrid, specifically in the province of Guadalajara, about 100 kilometers north of the capital, and has destroyed 32,000 hectares since its outbreak last Thursday.

Extreme caution

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on the X platform: “The government has deployed all available resources to stop the horrific fires that are currently affecting many regions, including Avila, León, Toledo, Madrid and other parts of Spain,” urging residents to exercise “utmost caution” and adhere to the instructions of the authorities.

According to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), fires this year destroyed about 125,000 hectares in Spain, compared to about 393,000 hectares during the entire year 2025.