Madrid Faces Its Worst Fire in History with 20,000 Evacuated

Madrid is experiencing its worst fire in history, with nearly 20,000 people evacuated. The governments of Spain and France have declared a state of emergency due to the advancing flames, which could involve the European Union. At least 19,000 people have been evacuated or are confined in the Community of Madrid, where the fire has devastated 6,000 hectares. Regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso emphasized that this is a catastrophe for a region with a high concentration of housing and population. Authorities are monitoring 1,200 elderly individuals near the flames and have evacuated four towns. Additionally, confinement has been ordered in three more towns, with no fatalities reported so far. The Spanish government declared an emergency in Madrid and Ávila due to several fires that could merge. Spain has declared a national emergency for fires for the first time, while France has requested EU assistance for a fire on the Atlantic coast. French authorities ordered the total evacuation of the Cap Ferret peninsula, relocating 63,000 people to safety. President Emmanuel Macron has requested EU help to combat a fire that has already devastated 8,700 hectares.