Spain declares emergency as over 10,000 evacuated from central wildfires

More than 10,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate as firefighters battle a series of wildfires that have ignited across central Spain’s Castilla‑La Mancha region. The blazes, which began on Thursday amid high temperatures and strong winds, have engulfed pine forests and scrubland near the towns of Albacete and Ciudad Real, prompting local authorities to activate emergency protocols and establish temporary shelters for displaced families. Spain’s Civil Guard and the Ministry of the Interior have deployed hundreds of fire crews, aerial water bombers, and ground equipment in an effort to contain the flames, while meteorological forecasts predict continued dry conditions that could hamper suppression efforts.

Officials indicated that the fires have damaged thousands of hectares of vegetation and threatened several rural road networks, prompting the closure of key transport routes. The evacuation order remains in effect as containment lines are reinforced, and residents are being advised to remain in designated safe zones until authorities declare the situation stable. Emergency services continue to monitor the situation closely, with the goal of fully extinguishing the wildfires and allowing evacuees to return to their homes in the coming days.