Spain declares emergency as wildfires burn in Madrid region and Avila
Spain has declared a national emergency in the Madrid region and Avila province as several wildfires continue to burn. More than 10,000 people have been evacuated and the military emergency unit has taken command of response efforts.
MADRID: Spain's interior minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, on Friday declared a national emergency in the Community of Madrid and Avila province as several forest fires worsened.
The emergency declaration applies to wildfires burning in Villa del Prado and San Martin de Valdeiglesias in the Madrid region, as well as Burgohondo in Avila, which is part of Castilla y Leon, broadcaster RTVE reported. The Interior Ministry said the move was taken because multiple fires were spreading at the same time, weather conditions were unfavourable and a large-scale deployment of resources from different public administrations was required.
Authorities also took into account the possibility of preventive evacuations, the danger to residential areas and the risk that the fires could spread beyond regional boundaries. Spain's Military Emergency Unit, known as the UME, has been put in charge of firefighting and emergency response operations.
According to the Madrid regional government, the situation remained "critical" with three major fires still active and not yet under control. Regional authorities also said the fires have "the potential to continue advancing without the capacity for extinction" under the current conditions.
Evacuations and fire 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. The evacuations came as officials assessed the danger posed by the fires to nearby communities.
Spain is going through a difficult wildfire season, with high temperatures, dry conditions and strong winds making containment efforts harder in several parts of the country. Those weather factors have complicated firefighting operations as crews continue trying to control the blazes in and around Madrid and Avila.
The declaration of a national emergency reflects the scale of the response being mounted as authorities seek to contain the active fires and prevent further spread into surrounding areas.
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