Spain declares state of emergency due to forest fires near Madrid

The government of Spain has declared a state of emergency in the country due to forest fires that have spiraled out of control on the outskirts of the capital, Madrid, leading to evacuations and road closures. This is reported by El Pais, writes UNN.

Details

The decision was made after three fires broke out simultaneously in the western part of Madrid – two in the Villa del Prado area and one more in San Martín de Valdeiglesias.

In Spain, they note that declaring an emergency of this level is an exceptional step. The last time the third level of national response was activated was in 2025 during a massive power outage.

Due to difficult weather conditions, high temperatures, and strong winds, regional services were unable to handle the situation on their own.

Spain has requested the activation of the European response mechanism to combat the fires. The European Commission has mobilized four aircraft from Greece and Italy.

According to authorities, more than 19,000 people have been evacuated due to the fires in Madrid. At least 23 roads have been cut off by the fires.

Over 270 specialists and about 40 units of ground equipment, as well as the Military Emergency Unit (UME), have been involved in mitigating the consequences.

The President of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, noted that 6,000 hectares have burned, which might not be as serious in another region, but in Madrid it is a "catastrophe" due to the high concentration of houses and residents.

Forest fires rage in France, Italy and Spain amid heatwave23.07.26, 10:10 • 3066 views