Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez informed journalists at the firefighting command post located in Navaleng, Ávila, that despite the challenging hours ahead, the night was very productive in terms of developing and controlling the forest fires. He noted that he would be monitoring how the day proceeds.
Firefighting Situation
The Spanish Military Defence Corps (UME), which is coordinating the fight against the blazes, reported that after work throughout the night and early morning, all fire fronts are under control. Nevertheless, there remain active hotspots requiring further monitoring, and overall control over the flames has not yet been secured.
Operational Plans and Warnings
Major Colonel Alfonso Arribas from UME, who heads the fire fighting command, told Spanish television RTVE that due to more favorable meteorological conditions today, operations will focus on extinguishing the fires. He also emphasized that although the results of the night are encouraging, the fire hotspots remain active.
Sánchez called on the population to remain vigilant, carry out preventive measures, and follow official instructions, insisting on receiving information exclusively through 'institutional channels' and 'reliable media,' warning against the threat of disinformation regarding the fires. He particularly stressed that saving lives is always the top priority.
International Aid and State of Emergency
The Prime Minister expressed gratitude to Portugal for sending a special group of nearly 200 people to assist in the fight against the fires in Ávila, a province of the autonomous community of Castile and León. He highlighted the 'brotherhood and solidarity' between the two countries, which manifests during emergencies on the border.
Spain has declared a national state of emergency in the provinces of Madrid, Ávila, and Toledo due to the forest fires. These blazes have already forced the evacuation or restriction of stay for over 90,000 people since Thursday. In addition to the fires in Ávila, Madrid, and Toledo, which are being fought as a single unit due to the proximity of the territories, authorities are also warning about the development of the fire situation in Castellón, Valencia region, in the east of the country, which has led to the evacuation or restriction of stay for 15,000 people.
Overall Fire Statistics
According to data from the Spanish Government, more than 150,000 hectares have burned across the country this year, and 32 major forest fires have been registered since January, which is six times higher than the figures for the same period in 2025. Highlighting these figures, Sánchez once again issued a call and demand, as he has done over the past year, for a 'national pact against climate change.'
