Spain wildfire evacuees had minutes to flee, with some pets left behind

Villagers evacuated from wildfires in central Spain said they had only minutes to leave their homes, taking documents, medicine, clothes and family keepsakes while some pets were left behind.

The fires have burned tens of thousands of hectares. Ecology Minister Sara Aagesen said on Sunday that one fire near Madrid was the largest in Spain’s recent history.

Olga Congacha, from Robledo de Chavela, said she and her husband left with important documents and clothes. Police later allowed her to return briefly to collect medicine needed before an operation. She found her house covered in ash.

At an improvised evacuation centre north of Madrid, 84-year-old Roberto Velasco said he left Navalagamella with a small suitcase and a hard drive containing copies of family letters and keepsakes from Chile.

In Villamanta, Jose Luis, 81, said he and his wife fled Aldea del Fresno after receiving an evacuation alert. They were later allowed to return for half an hour to collect medicine, while his wife left extra food for their canary.

Another evacuee, identified as Rosa, said she initially resisted leaving Robledo de Chavela because her two rescue cats could not easily be picked up. She said police eventually forced her to leave as flames reached the village.

Evacuees at Villamanta said they were being cared for but had arrived with few belongings.

Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia visited evacuees from Aldea del Fresno there on Sunday.