Spain declares national emergency over wildfires near Madrid and in Avila

The Spanish government on Thursday night declared a national emergency after a series of wildfires threatened communities near Madrid and in the neighbouring ​province of Avila, forcing more than 10,000 people to evacuate as ‌firefighters struggled to contain the blazes.
The Interior Ministry said the decision was taken because of the simultaneous outbreak of several fires, adverse weather conditions and the need to mobilise extensive ​resources from different public administrations, increasing the complexity of firefighting and ​civil protection efforts.

Spain and much of southern Europe face increasingly severe ⁠wildfire seasons that scientists have linked to climate change. Experts say abundant ​vegetation growth following unusually heavy spring rainfall has dried out in extreme summer ​heat, creating fuel for rapidly spreading fires.