The Spanish government declared a national emergency late Thursday after a series of wildfires threatened communities near Madrid and in the neighboring province of Ávila, forcing more than 10,000 people to evacuate as firefighters battled to contain the fast-moving blazes.
The Interior Ministry said the declaration was prompted by multiple fires erupting simultaneously, worsening weather conditions and the need to coordinate extensive resources from different levels of government, making firefighting and emergency response efforts significantly more complex.
Spain, like much of southern Europe, has experienced increasingly destructive wildfire seasons that scientists attribute to climate change.
Experts say unusually heavy spring rainfall fueled dense vegetation growth that later dried out during extreme summer heat, leaving vast amounts of highly flammable fuel that accelerated the spread of the fires.
The Madrid regional government requested assistance, describing the situation as one of "extreme gravity." It said active fires in Villa del Prado, San Martin de Valdeiglesias and Almorox, in neighboring Castilla-La Mancha, had the potential to spread beyond current firefighting capacity.
It also warned that the wildfire in Burgohondo, Avila, could reach the Madrid region within hours because of weather conditions.
More than 10,000 people have been evacuated from Villa del Prado, San Martin de Valdeiglesias, Pelayos de la Presa and Aldea del Fresno, according to the regional government.
Under Spain's National Civil Protection System law, the declaration places the emergency under the direct authority of the interior minister, who is responsible for coordinating the response. Authorities said it was the first such declaration related to a wildfire.
More than 270 emergency personnel and 40 ground units have been deployed to the affected areas, along with several contingents from the Military Emergency Unit, or UME.
More than 100,000 hectares (247,000 acres) have burned in Spain so far this year, roughly equivalent to the country's average annual burned area over the past decade. Thirteen people have died, making 2026 one of the country's deadliest wildfire seasons in decades.
