Spain's prime minister says saving lives is priority in wildfires

Update

Pedro Sanchez spoke to reporters in a village in the fire zone.

He said the priority was to save lives and protect inhabited areas.

He warned that complex hours lay ahead.

He said temperatures had gone down but the development and strength of the wind remained uncertain.

The wildfires were described as raging west of Madrid.

Source note: AFP news report published on 25 July 2026 at 09:22:51 UTC.

Update

Spain's prime minister said the priority in the wildfires is to save lives.

Source note: AFP news report published on 25 July 2026 at 09:14:28 UTC.

Update

Spain requested the four firefighting aircraft through the European Union's Civil Protection Mechanism.

The interior ministry said Greece had agreed to send two Canadair water-bombing planes in response.

Source note: AFP news report published on 24 July 2026 at 08:43:24 UTC.

Update

Spain requested four planes from the European Union to fight wildfires, according to the interior ministry.

Source note: AFP news report published on 24 July 2026 at 08:32:15 UTC.

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France invoked the European Union civil protection mechanism to seek help, and EU crisis management commissioner Hadja Lahbib said the bloc was providing three water-bombing planes.

Spanish authorities declared a state of emergency in the Madrid region.

More than 10,000 people have been evacuated in the Madrid region in recent days.

Three firefighters have been killed, including one in Sicily and two near Bordeaux airport.

Officials said about 25 houses had been destroyed around Cotignac in southeastern France since Tuesday.

Authorities said more than 20,000 people had been evacuated around Bordeaux since Wednesday.

Source note: AFP news report published on 24 July 2026 at 01:50:42 UTC.

Update

France invoked the EU civil protection mechanism and requested six aircraft, according to President Emmanuel Macron.

One firefighter died after falling ill while fighting flames in Sicily, according to Italy's interior minister.

Authorities said more than 20,000 people, mostly tourists, had been evacuated around Bordeaux since Wednesday.

EFFIS satellite data indicated the area burned so far this year in EU countries was the second largest on record.

Source note: AFP news report published on 23 July 2026 at 23:33:16 UTC.

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Spanish authorities ordered 3,500 people in Aldea de Fresno, west of Madrid, to evacuate because of an out-of-control forest fire.

Authorities said more than 20,000 people, mostly tourists in campsites and holiday lets, had been evacuated around Bordeaux since Wednesday.

Officials said around 25 houses had been destroyed near Cotignac in southeastern France since Tuesday.

A firefighter died after falling ill while fighting fires in Sicily, while two firefighters died Tuesday near Bordeaux airport.

EFFIS satellite data showed the total area burned this year in EU countries was the second largest on record.

World Weather Attribution climatologists said European droughts are becoming more severe.

A local official in Calabria said arsonists had started fires by tying flammable rags to stray cats.

Spanish civil protection chief Virginia Barcones said conditions at the Guadalajara fire were improving but strong winds and extreme heat remained dangerous.

Source note: AFP news report published on 23 July 2026 at 21:38:21 UTC.

Update

More than 20,000 people, mostly tourists in campsites and holiday accommodation, had been evacuated around Bordeaux since Wednesday.

Spanish authorities ordered 3,500 people in Aldea de Fresno, west of Madrid, to evacuate late Thursday.

Officials and emergency services reported dozens of fires in Sicily, more than 160 fires in Calabria, and a larger Guadalajara fire that had burned about 32,000 hectares.

The report added details on the three firefighter deaths, including one in Sicily and two near Bordeaux airport, and said one firefighter was injured Thursday.

EFFIS satellite data showed the total area burned so far this year in EU countries was the second largest on record.

World Weather Attribution climatologists said European droughts are now more severe.

Source note: AFP news report published on 23 July 2026 at 19:42:28 UTC.

Update

Around 6,000 firefighters, forest guards and civil protection officers were fighting fires in Sicily.

One firefighter died in Sicily after falling ill while fighting flames, according to Italy's interior minister.

More than 160 fires were recorded in Calabria, where a local civil protection chief alleged arson involving flammable rags tied to stray cats.

More than 20,000 people, mostly tourists in campsites and holiday lets, had been evacuated around Bordeaux since Wednesday.

Authorities said the Bordeaux-area fire had been contained on one flank, with no casualties reported there.

The mayor of Le Porge said the fire appeared to have been sparked by a brush-clearing machine, while police investigated.

Most residents evacuated by a wildfire south of Madrid were allowed to return Thursday.

A larger wildfire in Guadalajara province had burned about 32,000 hectares since the previous Thursday.

Spain's weather agency said temperatures were expected to ease at the weekend before likely rising again.

Source note: AFP news report published on 23 July 2026 at 16:54:46 UTC.

Update

Around 6,000 firefighters, forest guards and civil protection officials were fighting fires in Sicily.

More than 160 fires were recorded in Calabria, where a local civil protection chief blamed arsonists for some fires.

More than 10,000 tourists were evacuated from campsites and other accommodation near Bordeaux.

The Le Porge fire had burned 2,400 hectares since Wednesday, officials said.

Le Porge's mayor said the fire appeared to have been started by a brush-clearing machine, while police were still investigating.

A World Weather Attribution study said climate change is making a European drought more severe, helping fires break out faster.

Spanish emergency services said most residents could return after progress against a fire south of Madrid, while a larger Guadalajara fire had burned about 32,000 hectares.

Source note: AFP news report published on 23 July 2026 at 11:16:55 UTC.

Update

Wildfires continued across Italy, France and Spain on Thursday.

In Sicily, about 6,000 firefighters, forest guards and civil protection officials were fighting dozens of fires that had burned for days, with water-bombing aircraft deployed.

Italy's Civil Protection Agency described the situation in Sicily as serious and said very high temperatures and very dry soil were fuelling the fires.

More than 160 fires were recorded in Calabria, where a local civil protection chief blamed deliberate arson by malicious individuals.

The Calabria official alleged that rags soaked in flammable liquid had been tied to stray cats' tails to spread fires.

More than 10,000 tourists evacuated from camping sites and other holiday accommodation near Bordeaux on Thursday.

The Le Porge fire had burned 2,000 hectares since Wednesday.

Two firefighters died on Tuesday while tackling a fire near Bordeaux airport.

French unions warned of exhaustion and a lack of resources among firefighters.

Le Porge's mayor said the fire could have been started by a machine used to clear a forest track, but this was not officially confirmed.

In Spain, progress against a fire south of Madrid allowed most residents of threatened communities to return, while residents of El Encinar del Alberche were still urged to stay away.

A larger wildfire in Guadalajara province had burned about 32,000 hectares since starting the previous Thursday.

The European Forest Fire Information System said more than 393,000 hectares burned in Spain in 2025, the country's worst recent toll.

Source note: AFP news report published on 23 July 2026 at 08:45:38 UTC.

Update

Three firefighters were reported killed across the fires: one in Sicily and two in France near Bordeaux airport.

Sicily had about 50 fires still burning despite water-bombing aircraft, according to regional president Renato Schifani.

More than 160 fires were recorded in Calabria, where a local civil protection official alleged arson by malicious individuals.

France's Var region fire forced about 400 people to evacuate and burned 2,550 hectares.

Spanish authorities ordered evacuations around Toledo and were also fighting a separate fire that had burned 32,000 hectares north of Madrid.

In 2025, more than 393,000 hectares had burned in Spain, according to the European Forest Fire Information System.

Source note: AFP news report published on 23 July 2026 at 04:02:22 UTC.

Update

Authorities evacuated another 7,000 people early Thursday as a precaution.

The latest evacuations were from six campsites and a residential area north of Cap Ferret.

The local authority said late Wednesday that the fires had burned around 2,000 hectares, nearly 5,000 acres.

Source note: AFP news report published on 23 July 2026 at 03:31:30 UTC.

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A local authority said fires in southwest France had forced at least 12,000 people to evacuate.

Source note: AFP news report published on 23 July 2026 at 03:07:39 UTC.

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The reported firefighter death toll rose to three, with one firefighter dead in Sicily and two firefighters dead in France near Bordeaux airport.

Renato Schifani said about 6,000 firefighters, forest guards and civil protection officials were deployed in Sicily and that 50 fires were still burning.

More than 160 fires were recorded in Calabria, where the head of local civil protection said they were deliberate arson cases.

French officials said one fire in the Arcachon Basin area burned more than 1,400 hectares and led to evacuations in Le Porge, including about 700 residents and more than 3,000 campers.

A fire in France's Var region burned 2,550 hectares and forced about 400 people to evacuate before officials said it was being contained.

Spanish authorities ordered evacuations around Toledo after a major wildfire threatened homes, while another fire north of Madrid had burned 32,000 hectares.

Source note: AFP news report published on 23 July 2026 at 00:04:36 UTC.