Spanish wildfires merge, forcing nearly 90,000 to evacuate near capital

Spain is battling severe wildfires, with the most critical situations unfolding in the Madrid autonomous community and the neighboring province of Avila. The blazes remain out of control, having already consumed approximately 35,000 hectares of land and forcing the evacuation of up to 88,000 people. The Military Emergencies Unit (UME), part of the Ministry of Defense, has established a joint command center to centrally manage firefighting operations in Madrid and Avila. They are coordinating resources from 10 autonomous communities to combat what is described as the most severe forest fire in Madrid's history. The fires in Madrid and Avila have merged into a single fire line, with intense flames advancing towards the outskirts of El Escorial, a town near Madrid. The UME is working to establish defensive lines to contain the spread. El Escorial is home to the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, a UNESCO World Heritage site of significant cultural and historical value. Spain has requested aid from the European Union, with firefighting aircraft from Italy and Greece expected to arrive soon. In response to the crisis, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Madrid's regional president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, have set aside their political differences to meet at the disaster command center, prioritizing emergency response measures. Both leaders emphasized intergovernmental coordination and praised the efforts of rescue personnel, conveying a message of national unity in disaster response. Official data from the Ministry for Ecological Transition reveals that over 130,000 hectares have been burned in Spain this year, a stark increase compared to the average of 100,000 hectares annually over the past decade. Sánchez stated that the area destroyed by wildfires by the end of July has already surpassed the annual average, underscoring that the "climate emergency" is a reality that must be confronted. He assured affected residents that the central government would provide full support for reconstruction once the fires are extinguished.

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climate emergency