Spanish Prime Minister: Critical hours in fighting fires in Madrid and Avila as they continue to spread
Madrid, July 25 (KUNA) -- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Saturday that firefighting teams are facing “difficult and critical hours” in battling wildfires raging in the capital, Madrid, and the neighboring p
Translated by Qiyas from كونا — Original source
Madrid, July 25 (KUNA) -- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Saturday that firefighting teams are facing “difficult and critical hours” in battling wildfires raging in the capital, Madrid, and the neighboring province of Avila, as the blazes continue to get out of control.
Sanchez, speaking during a visit to the Emergency Operations Command Center, emphasized that “the priority is to protect citizens’ lives and defend populated areas, followed by firefighting efforts,” while warning that the expected shift in wind direction in the coming hours remains a major source of concern.
He clarified that the Spanish government has decided to unify the command of firefighting operations in Madrid and Avila under a single operations room to accelerate response times and improve resource coordination. He noted that ten autonomous regions are currently participating in firefighting efforts, alongside military emergency units and civil protection agencies.
The three wildfires in Madrid and Avila, part of the Castile and Leon region, remain out of control despite improved weather conditions and lower temperatures, which provided a “window” to bolster extinguishing efforts in recent hours.
Spanish state television reported that more than 60,000 people have been affected by the fires, including approximately 50,000 in Madrid who were evacuated from their homes or ordered to stay indoors as a precaution, while more than 13,000 others were evacuated in Avila to ensure their safety.
These fires have consumed around 20,000 hectares of land. Meanwhile, the total area affected by wildfires across Spain since the beginning of the year has risen to nearly 132,000 hectares, according to the Ministry for Ecological Transition.
On Friday, Spain requested the activation of the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism to assist in controlling the blazes. Italy and Greece responded by sending aircraft, which are expected to arrive later today. (End) H.N.D./A.B.K.
