A severe heatwave sweeping across Europe has triggered massive wildfires in Spain and France. Both countries have requested assistance from the European Union, while Spain has declared a national state of emergency over wildfires for the first time in its history. Tens of thousands of residents have been forced to evacuate their homes.
The extreme temperatures affecting much of Europe have fueled simultaneous large-scale wildfires in both Spain and France. To support firefighting efforts, both governments activated the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism.
The Spanish government declared a national emergency following three major wildfires in the mountainous areas west of Madrid and in the neighboring province of Ávila. It marks the first time Spain has declared a nationwide emergency specifically due to forest fires. Under the declaration, coordination of firefighting operations has been transferred to the central government.
Authorities said more than 10,000 people were evacuated from areas approximately 50 kilometers west of Madrid. More than 270 emergency personnel, 40 ground firefighting units, and the Military Emergency Unit (UME) have been deployed to battle the fires.
Sánchez: “A dramatic situation”
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said in a post on X that Spain and neighboring countries are facing “a dramatic situation.”
“Wildfires are destroying thousands of hectares of land and affecting numerous towns and villages,” Sánchez said, urging the public to follow the instructions of emergency authorities.
Javier Martin, a resident of the town of Navaluenga in Ávila, told Reuters:
“I’ve lived here for 36 years and I’ve never seen anything like this. I thought it would be brought under control last night, but there was a delay and the situation spiraled out of control.”
French holiday resort fully evacuated
France’s Cap Ferret Peninsula, a popular Atlantic coastal holiday destination known for its luxury homes and summer tourism, has also been engulfed by major wildfires. The entire area was evacuated, forcing approximately 40,000 people to leave their homes. Many residents and visitors were evacuated by boat.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France had requested assistance through the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism.
In a post on X, Macron said the fire has already destroyed 8,700 hectares of land and announced that specialized firefighting aircraft from other European countries would soon join the operation.
Hundreds of people were evacuated by boat to the Arcachon pier, while local authorities urged all residents and visitors to move to safe areas.
According to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), Spain has recorded more than 350 forest fires since the beginning of the year. The year 2025 had already set a record for the largest area burned in the country. Authorities reported that, so far, only one firefighter has been injured and no fatalities have been recorded.