Spain's King Felipe VI thanks Europe for fire aid, praises EU Civil Protection

King Felipe VI of Spain expressed gratitude on Sunday for the collaboration of European countries in battling the severe forest fires that have ravaged central Spain. He specifically lauded the European Union's Civil Protection mechanism, suggesting it "possibly needs to be strengthened even further."

The monarch commended the "exemplary" coordination among public administrations in tackling the blazes in the provinces of Madrid, Ávila, and Toledo, which have scorched 77,000 hectares and destroyed invaluable natural heritage. He also encouraged reflection on future prevention strategies during non-fire seasons.

Felipe VI and Queen Letizia visited Villamanta, Madrid, where they met 200 people evacuated due to the fires. Approximately 90,000 residents in central Spain have been affected, with nearly 60,000 evacuated and almost 30,000 confined to their homes. Another 16,000 people were displaced by a separate fire in Castellón province, which burned 4,300 hectares.

Despite the ongoing risks, the King noted "some positive signs of evolution" in the Madrid, Ávila, and Toledo fires. He highlighted the "spectacular, professional, dedicated, and suffering" efforts of the control and extinction teams from central, regional, and local administrations, emphasizing that "united, any risk can be faced."

Spain activated the EU Civil Protection system on Thursday, receiving aid including six firefighting aircraft from Greece, Italy, and Turkey, and a Portuguese military contingent of 129 personnel and 41 vehicles. The King stressed the importance of sharing the effort, especially as France is also facing similar risks.

“

ejemplar