Spain contains major fires while France remains concerned about Gironde blaze

Spain reported progress on Sunday in containing the large wildfires that have ravaged its central regions, while France continued to focus on the uncontrolled blaze in Gironde, which threatened to escalate with an incoming heatwave. The fires have collectively scorched 77,000 hectares in Spain and 42,000 hectares in France's Gironde department.

Across both countries, approximately 330,000 people have been evacuated or displaced due to the fires. In Spain, over 100,000 individuals faced the impact of the flames, including those evacuated, displaced, or confined to their homes. The Gironde fire in France has led to the evacuation of 220,000 people, who cannot return until the fire is fully contained.

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The evolution of the Spanish fires was favorable after several days of intense propagation of the flames.

The situation in Spain showed improvement after days of intense flame propagation. The wildfire in Ávila, which consumed about 50,000 hectares, has become the largest recorded in the country's history. An additional 25,000 hectares were affected in the Community of Madrid, and around 2,000 hectares in the province of Toledo.

Despite the improvements, authorities caution that active pockets remain, and new evacuations are possible, particularly in western Madrid. Efforts are focused on stabilizing the fires and preventing re-ignitions. Thousands of personnel, supported by the Military Emergencies Unit (UME), are engaged in firefighting operations along a perimeter of approximately 280 kilometers. The Spanish government has declared a national emergency level for the central wildfires and received support from Greece, Italy, and Turkey, which sent six firefighting aircraft, as well as a Portuguese contingent of 129 personnel and 41 vehicles.

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The Spanish government maintains the national emergency level in the central fires and has reinforced the device with six firefighting planes sent by Greece, Italy and Turkey, in addition to a Portuguese contingent integrated by 129 personnel and 41 vehicles.