Firefighters struggle to contain Madrid wildfires, as more than 140,000 evacuated in France and Spain
Firefighters struggle to contain Madrid wildfires, as more than 140,000 evacuated in France and Spain - Published A wildfire near Madrid is "beyond the...
Key points
- Firefighters struggle to contain Madrid wildfires, as more than 140,000 evacuated in France and Spain - Published A wildfire near Madrid is "beyond the capacity" of firefighters to contain, Spanish officials have warned, after three fires west of the capital merged into a single blaze.
- Madrid's regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso described it as the "worst fire in the history of the region", with the area facing a "perfect storm" of high temperatures, relentless wind and merging fire fronts.
- Authorities are also monitoring a separate wildfire in nearby Ávila province, where officials fear the huge Burgohondo blaze could merge with the Madrid fire.
- More than 60,000 people have been affected in the Madrid region, with 30,000 forced to evacuate and 20,000 placed under lockdown, authorities said.
What happened
More photos


Firefighters struggle to contain Madrid wildfires, as more than 140,000 evacuated in France and Spain - Published A wildfire near Madrid is "beyond the capacity" of firefighters to contain, Spanish officials have warned, after three fires west of the capital merged into a single blaze. Madrid's regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso described it as the "worst fire in the history of the region", with the area facing a "perfect storm" of high temperatures, relentless wind and merging fire fronts. Authorities are also monitoring a separate wildfire in nearby Ávila province, where officials fear the huge Burgohondo blaze could merge with the Madrid fire. More than 60,000 people have been affected in the Madrid region, with 30,000 forced to evacuate and 20,000 placed under lockdown, authorities said. 'XXL' wildfire in France forces more than 110,000 to evacuate In south-west France, authorities have evacuated more than 110,000 people after wildfires ripped through the Gironde and Landes regions. He said the blaze was "self-sustaining" and changing direction, with the fire moving east towards Bordeaux on Friday evening.