Spain has declared a national emergency as rapidly spreading wildfires threatened communities near Madrid and in the neighbouring province of Ávila, forcing more than 10,000 people to evacuate while firefighters battled multiple blazes across the country.
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The emergency was announced on Thursday night after authorities warned that simultaneous fires, extreme weather conditions and the scale of the crisis risked overwhelming existing firefighting resources. The Interior Ministry said the declaration would allow the central government to coordinate a nationwide response and mobilise additional personnel and equipment.
The regional government of Madrid described the situation as one of “extreme gravity,” warning that active fires in Villa del Prado, San Martín de Valdeiglesias and nearby Almorox could spread beyond current containment efforts. Officials also cautioned that a wildfire burning in Burgohondo, in Ávila province, could reach the Madrid region due to changing weather conditions.
According to regional authorities, more than 10,000 residents and visitors have been evacuated from Villa del Prado, San Martín de Valdeiglesias, Pelayos de la Presa and Aldea del Fresno as a precaution.
Under Spain’s National Civil Protection System, the declaration places the emergency under the direct authority of the interior minister, marking the first time the country has invoked the measure in response to wildfires.
More than 270 emergency personnel, 40 ground units and several contingents from Spain’s Military Emergency Unit (UME) have been deployed to contain the blazes and protect affected communities.
Scientists have linked increasingly severe wildfire seasons across southern Europe to climate change. They say heavy spring rainfall produced abundant vegetation that later dried out during prolonged summer heat, creating ideal conditions for fast-moving fires.
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Spain has already recorded more than 100,000 hectares of burned land this year, roughly matching the country’s average annual total over the past decade. Authorities say 13 people have died in wildfire-related incidents in 2026, making it one of Spain’s deadliest fire seasons in decades.
Officials have urged residents in affected areas to follow evacuation orders and remain alert as firefighters continue efforts to bring the blazes under control.