Spain has declared a nationwide state of emergency in the Madrid region and the neighboring province of Avila due to massive wildfires. The decision enables the mobilization of additional forces and resources, with the military taking over operational command, reports infohub.kz.
The situation is most critical west of Madrid, where around 10,000 people have already left their homes. According to authorities, the fires have destroyed approximately 125,000 hectares of vegetation since they began.
Experts note that heavy rainfall in winter and spring fueled rapid growth of grass, shrubs, and undergrowth, which then dried out in the summer heat, turning into highly flammable fuel.
Difficult conditions persist in France as well. In the Var department, the fire has destroyed over 2,300 hectares of forest in three days. Residents of the village of Cotignac in Provence were urgently evacuated, with police urging people to leave immediately without taking unnecessary belongings, and buses arranged for those without private transport. The fire near Cotignac has now been contained.
Since the start of the year, more than 45,000 hectares of forest have burned in France, already surpassing the total for 2025, when 36,951 hectares were destroyed. The French authorities have also asked for assistance from EU partners to combat the wildfires.