Wildfires continue to burn across Spain, impacting thousands of hectares and leading to significant evacuations, as the country braces for another heatwave. Three fires in the Madrid region have caused particular concern.
The Madrid region is currently under a red weather warning, with temperatures anticipated to reach 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) in mountainous areas and 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit) elsewhere.
The national government's delegation in Madrid stated that one fire "remains active and uncontrolled." Efforts are focused on surveillance and cooling affected areas in anticipation of worsening weather conditions.
Nationally, approximately 77,000 hectares (190,000 acres) have been affected by fires, according to Sara Aagesen, the minister for ecological transition. The wildfire in the Ávila area has been described as the largest in the country's recent history, with over 50,000 hectares burned.
While Nicanor Sen, the government's representative in Ávila, reported a "quite favourable" evolution overnight for the fire there, he noted that "small flare-ups" are being monitored by emergency services.
In the Valencia region, a lockdown order for the town of Vall D'Uixo was lifted after a fire that began on July 25 forced the evacuation of approximately 16,000 people from 20 municipalities. Meanwhile, firefighters in neighboring Portugal are contending with a large fire that has spread across three active fronts in the eastern Guarda area.
