Spain: 3,500 people evacuated after out-of-control wildfires

Emergency services announced via the X platform that they had issued evacuation orders to residents of Aldea de Fresno, a town located approximately 60 kilometers from the capital, Madrid.

The decision came a day after authorities ordered the evacuation of thousands of people from towns southwest of Madrid due to another fire, as Spain continues to grapple with a heatwave and drought.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez stated on X, “The government has deployed all available resources to stop the devastating fires currently affecting several regions, including Ávila, León, Toledo, Madrid, and other parts of Spain,” urging residents to exercise “the utmost caution” and comply with authorities’ instructions.

The largest fire is raging on the opposite side of Madrid, specifically in the province of Guadalajara, about 100 kilometers north of the capital, having consumed 32,000 hectares since it broke out last Thursday.

According to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), fires have burned approximately 125,000 hectares in Spain this year, compared to around 393,000 hectares throughout all of 2025.