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Spain Declares First National Wildfire Emergency as Fires Merge

7/26/2026

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Summary

Spain Declares Emergency

Spain declared its first national wildfire emergency after two blazes near Madrid merged, prompting evacuations.
France evacuated more than 197,000 people from Gironde and Landes as the Bordeaux fire generated its own winds.
Two French firefighters, one Italian firefighter and a man in Manises, Valencia died in the blazes.
The EU sent aircraft from several states while France deployed an A400M plane and 1,500 soldiers.

Summary

Sánchez Visits Blaze

The wildfires have burned about 25,000 hectares, among Spain’s largest blazes in decades.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited the Guadalajara fire zone and demanded a cross-party climate-action pact, warning that climate change kills and destroys wealth.
Meteorologists warned 60 kph winds and heat could cause the fires to merge, while over 168,000 hectares have burned in Spain this year, far above the ten-year average.

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Spain Declares Emergency

Spain declared its first national wildfire emergency after two blazes near Madrid merged, prompting evacuations.
France evacuated more than 197,000 people from Gironde and Landes as the Bordeaux fire generated its own winds.
Two French firefighters, one Italian firefighter and a man in Manises, Valencia died in the blazes.
The EU sent aircraft from several states while France deployed an A400M plane and 1,500 soldiers.

1 / 2