Spain ends emergency over Madrid, Avila wildfires

Update

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Spain accepted a proposal to move to operational level 2 and end the national state of emergency.

Authorities said the Madrid and Avila fires had stopped spreading and had almost no flames left.

Only around 1,000 people remained evacuated.

The Madrid and Avila fires had jointly burned at least 77,000 hectares.

Authorities warned the ongoing heatwave kept the fire risk very high, and extreme in some areas.

Source note: AFP news report published on 30 July 2026 at 09:52:30 UTC.

Update

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez declared the end of the national emergency over the Madrid and Avila wildfires.

Source note: AFP news report published on 30 July 2026 at 09:15:02 UTC.

Update

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said efforts to extinguish a major wildfire near Madrid were progressing "favourably".

Sanchez said the next 12 hours would be decisive for consolidating firefighters' work.

Sanchez said he hoped more residents, mainly in Avila, could begin returning home in the coming hours.

Authorities said the wildfires have burned nearly 80,000 hectares overall.

Officials described the Avila fire as the worst in Spain's recent history.

Source note: AFP news report published on 29 July 2026 at 15:42:05 UTC.

Update

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said there was a "light at end of tunnel" in the fight against Spain's wildfires.

Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 10:16:33 UTC.

Update

Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said firefighters had made progress after a positive night against the wildfires.

Spain's government declared a national emergency last week over the wildfires.

Interior ministry figures put evacuations at 63,000 people, nearly half of them in Madrid.

More than 4,000 people were allowed back home in the Toledo area on Monday.

Marlaska said recent wildfires had burned 77,000 hectares, bringing Spain's year-to-date burned area to 175,000 hectares.

Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 07:53:16 UTC.

Update

Spain's ecological transition minister said the Avila part of the wildfires affecting 50,000 hectares was the largest forest fire in Spain's recent history.

The minister said 77,000 hectares had been affected across Madrid, Avila and Toledo.

The minister did not define how much of the affected area was damaged or burned.

Source note: AFP news report published on 26 July 2026 at 15:58:23 UTC.

Update

France's evacuation total was reported at 250,000 people, mostly in Gironde and also in Landes.

Spain's evacuation total was reported at about 75,000 people across the Madrid region, Avila, Toledo and Castellon in Valencia.

French firefighters said the Gironde fire had generated a pyrocumulonimbus fire cloud that can create winds and lightning.

French authorities said at least 240 homes had been destroyed around the Gironde fire, many in Le Porge.

Bordeaux's mayor said there were no plans to evacuate the city's urban area, although the fire was 15 kilometres from the suburbs.

Spanish officials said a new fire near Valencia forced 15,000 people to flee.

Authorities reported one civilian death near Valencia in a separate smaller fire and two firefighter deaths near Bordeaux earlier in the week.

Other EU countries were sending aircraft, fire crews and vehicles to France and Spain.

Source note: AFP news report published on 26 July 2026 at 15:18:14 UTC.

Update

France's interior minister said 250,000 people had been evacuated in France.

Spanish authorities reported about 75,000 evacuations from the Madrid region, Avila, Toledo and Castellon in Valencia.

A new fire front near Valencia forced 15,000 people to flee.

France deployed about 2,500 firefighters, including a Swiss team, 1,500 military personnel and about 1,200 police to the Gironde region.

Authorities said the Landes wildfire was better contained but not yet stopped.

One civilian death was reported near Valencia in a separate smaller fire, while two firefighters had been killed near Bordeaux on Tuesday.

Police said a man was arrested in an evacuated Bordeaux suburb after allegedly stealing 44 bottles of prestige grand cru wine from an empty home.

Source note: AFP news report published on 26 July 2026 at 13:02:08 UTC.

Update

More than 300,000 people have been forced to flee fires in France and Spain.

Bordeaux was under threat, with a major highway and train lines cut.

France said more than 5,200 firefighters, soldiers and gendarmes had been mobilised for the Gironde fire.

Cestas, near Bordeaux, was largely deserted ahead of the flames, according to its mayor.

A new fire front opened near Valencia, where at least 15,000 people were evacuated.

Authorities reported 60,000 people had fled fires near Madrid.

One civilian death was reported near Valencia in a separate smaller fire, while two firefighters were killed near Bordeaux on Wednesday.

Both France and Spain received help from other European countries, including aircraft, helicopters and a Swiss fire crew.

Source note: AFP news report published on 26 July 2026 at 10:21:20 UTC.

Update

French authorities ordered 55,000 more people to evacuate in Gironde after the wildfire there resurged.

Authorities said evacuations in Gironde had risen to well over 200,000, while the French government also gave a figure of 197,000 people evacuated near Bordeaux.

Spain ordered evacuations in eight more municipalities near Toledo.

Three men were arrested in Gironde on suspicion of endangering lives, prosecutors said.

About 2,000 people remained unable to return home in France's Var department because of the Ponteves wildfire.

A fire near Corte in Corsica had spread across more than 800 hectares.

Authorities allowed 3,000 residents to return to safe areas of Biscarrosse in Landes.

A wildfire in Valencia killed one person before being brought under control, local authorities said.

France sent 500 more soldiers to the southwest wildfire zone, taking the total deployed to 1,500.

A French A400M military aircraft fitted to drop 20 tonnes of water or retardant carried out a mission in the southwest.

Tour de France organisers shortened the next day's final stage because of the fires.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said fires across France had burned nearly 98,000 hectares, calling it a historic record.

Source note: AFP news report published on 26 July 2026 at 03:05:30 UTC.

Update

Nearly 260,000 people were forced to flee in France and Spain, with 3,000 of the 197,000 evacuees near Bordeaux later allowed to return.

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu warned that forecasts were turning unfavourable again and that coming hours could be difficult.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned that Spain faced complex hours ahead.

France deployed 1,500 soldiers, 1,700 security personnel and an A400M military transport aircraft to support firefighting near Bordeaux.

Local authorities said fires in southwest France had burned more than 32,000 hectares and destroyed at least 100 buildings.

Spain’s interior ministry said the fires west of Madrid had burned up to 25,000 hectares and that two of the three major fires there had merged.

Source note: AFP news report published on 25 July 2026 at 19:46:33 UTC.

Update

A wildfire in Valencia killed one person before firefighters brought it under control, according to authorities there.

French President Emmanuel Macron said France would rebuild and repair damage from the fires.

Top regional official Sophia Brocas said the threat in Gironde remained very serious, though the blaze had lost some intensity.

France ordered 500 more soldiers to the southwest wildfire zone, bringing the total deployed to 1,500.

A French A400M military aircraft with a kit able to release 20 tonnes of water or fire retardant carried out its first mission over Lacanau.

Tour de France organisers said the next day’s final stage from Thoiry to Paris would be shortened because of the wildfires.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said fires across France had burned nearly 98,000 hectares, calling it a historic record.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said saving lives and protecting inhabited areas were the priority and warned of complex hours ahead because wind conditions remained uncertain.

Spain’s interior ministry said fires west of Madrid had burned up to 25,000 hectares, including nearly 10,000 hectares in the Madrid region and 13,000 to 15,000 hectares in Avila.

The Madrid government delegation said overnight conditions helped and that the fires had advanced little and decreased in intensity.

Source note: AFP news report published on 25 July 2026 at 17:59:23 UTC.

Update

The total number of people forced to flee is now described as nearly 260,000, with 197,000 evacuated around Bordeaux and 60,000 from villages west of Madrid, after Madrid officials had earlier given an estimate of about 70,000.

France deployed 1,500 soldiers near Bordeaux, and an A400M aircraft modified to release up to 20 tonnes of fire retardant joined firefighting operations.

A separate wildfire near Valencia killed one person before being brought under control.

Two French firefighters died earlier in the week near Bordeaux.

France said fires across the country had burned nearly 98,000 hectares, while the southwest fire had burned more than 32,000 hectares and destroyed at least 100 buildings.

Spain said fires west of Madrid had burned up to 25,000 hectares and that two of three major fires there had merged.

Sunday's final stage of the Tour de France was shortened because police assigned to race security were needed for the wildfire response.

Source note: AFP news report published on 25 July 2026 at 17:40:19 UTC.

Update

Authorities said wildfires in France and Spain had forced 267,000 people to flee, including 197,000 around Bordeaux and 70,000 west of Madrid.

France's interior minister said the French evacuation was probably the country's biggest peacetime evacuation.

Two French firefighters died earlier in the week near Bordeaux, and a separate wildfire near Valencia killed one person before being brought under control.

Authorities said France had deployed 1,500 soldiers near Bordeaux, and an A400M aircraft modified to drop up to 20 tonnes of fire retardant joined the response.

Officials said fires across France had burned nearly 98,000 hectares, including more than 32,000 hectares in the southwest, and had destroyed at least 100 buildings.

Spain's interior ministry said blazes west of Madrid had burned up to 25,000 hectares, and two of three major wildfires there had merged.

The final stage of the Tour de France was shortened because police were needed for wildfire response.

Both France and Spain were receiving EU firefighting aircraft from other European countries.

Source note: AFP news report published on 25 July 2026 at 16:32:00 UTC.

Update

The additional deployment brings the total number of military personnel mobilised to 1,500.

The French defence ministry said the troops would help evacuate residents from areas threatened by fires.

The ministry said the troops would help safeguard unattended homes during the emergency.

Source note: AFP news report published on 25 July 2026 at 14:41:52 UTC.

Update

A ministry said France is sending 500 more troops to help fight wildfires.

Source note: AFP news report published on 25 July 2026 at 14:34:01 UTC.

Update

The combined evacuation figure was reported at 267,000 people.

France deployed 1,000 soldiers near Bordeaux and ordered an A400M aircraft adapted to drop up to 20 tonnes of fire retardant to join the response.

France's interior minister said the Bordeaux-area evacuation was probably the country's biggest peacetime evacuation.

Authorities in both countries said some fire intensity had eased overnight, but officials warned the fires were not yet contained.

No civilian deaths had been reported, while two French firefighters died earlier in the week near Bordeaux.

French authorities said fires across France had burned nearly 98,000 hectares, with more than 32,000 hectares burned in the southwest and at least 100 buildings destroyed there.

Spain's interior ministry said fires west of Madrid had burned up to 25,000 hectares, and two of the three major fires there had merged.

Source note: AFP news report published on 25 July 2026 at 13:28:02 UTC.

Update

Fires across France have burned nearly 98,000 hectares, which Interior Minister Laurent Nunez described as a historic record.

Nunez said several fires in France were still not under control, including major blazes in Gironde and Landes.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the priority was saving lives and protecting inhabited areas, and warned of complex hours because of uncertain winds.

Wildfires west of Madrid have burned up to 25,000 hectares, including nearly 10,000 hectares in the Madrid region and between 13,000 and 15,000 hectares in Avila province.

Around 100 Paris firefighters were being deployed to southwest France.

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu ordered the deployment of an A400M military transport aircraft with a kit able to release 20 tonnes of fire retardant.

Madrid authorities said overnight conditions helped the firefighting effort and that the fires advanced little and lost intensity.

NASA evacuated one of its three global deep space communications facilities in Spain on Friday, affecting communications with space probes.

France was sending around 500 additional soldiers to support firefighters, raising the total to 1,000.

Source note: AFP news report published on 25 July 2026 at 11:45:52 UTC.

Update

Authorities said evacuations in France and Spain now total more than 250,000 people.

The French government said 197,000 people were evacuated because of wildfires near Bordeaux.

The Spanish interior ministry said 70,000 people were evacuated from villages west of Madrid.

The source said both countries were facing unprecedented blazes spreading unchecked despite hundreds of firefighters and water-dropping aircraft.

Source note: AFP news report published on 25 July 2026 at 11:12:21 UTC.

Update

French officials said 167,000 people had been evacuated in France, while Spain said more than 45,000 had been evacuated and at least another 20,000 told to stay indoors.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said nearly 98,000 hectares had burned in France, calling it a historic record.

Spain's interior ministry said fires west of Madrid had burned up to 25,000 hectares.

France deployed soldiers, extra firefighters, aircraft and an A400M military transport aircraft to help fight the fires.

France and Spain requested and received EU aircraft support.

No civilian deaths had been reported, but two French firefighters died earlier in the week near Bordeaux.

Spain declared a national emergency, and officials warned that difficult conditions remained near Madrid.

The source reported evacuation shelters, smoke and ash impacts, and accounts from evacuees in France and Spain.

Source note: AFP news report published on 25 July 2026 at 10:42:48 UTC.

Update

Authorities said wildfires had forced more than 200,000 people in total to flee in France and Spain.

Source note: AFP news report published on 25 July 2026 at 10:35:54 UTC.

Update

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said saving lives and protecting inhabited areas were the priority while visiting a village in the fire zone.

Spain's interior ministry said fires west of Madrid had burned up to 25,000 hectares, including nearly 10,000 hectares in the Madrid region and between 13,000 and 15,000 in Avila.

Spain's interior ministry said more than 30,000 people had been evacuated and 20,000 confined to homes in the Madrid region, with 5,150 evacuated and 8,635 confined in Avila.

Around 100 Paris firefighters were being deployed to southwest France, according to the head of the Paris Fire Brigade.

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu ordered an A400M military transport aircraft to help fight fires in southwest France.

French authorities ordered precautionary evacuations of towns near Bordeaux as fires moved toward the area.

Wildfires forced NASA to evacuate one of its three global deep space communications facilities in Spain on Friday.

France said around 500 additional soldiers would support firefighters in southwest France.

France's interior ministry said more than 140,000 people had been evacuated from areas threatened by wildfires in southwest France.

Madrid emergency management chief Carlos Novillo said a wildfire near Madrid was at its peak and impossible to control.

A government official said a major fire near Madrid was close to merging with another blaze in Castilla y Leon.

Spanish police said they arrested a man over a fire in Castilla y Leon linked to farm machinery use in breach of a ban.

Source note: AFP news report published on 25 July 2026 at 10:24:09 UTC.