Spain fights major forest fires across Valencia, Madrid and Ávila
A series of forest fires have engulfed large areas of Spain. In the Vall d’Uixó region of Castellón, the blaze has burned about 9,300 hectares and created an 82‑kilometre perimeter; authorities have deployed around 400 firefighters, drones and thermal cameras and warned that the next 48 hours are critical. Evacuations affect roughly 10,000 residents in 14 municipalities, and restrictions on movement and water use remain in place.
In central Spain, fires that swept through the Sierra Oeste of Madrid and the province of Ávila have burned more than 70,000 hectares overall. The Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande‑Marlaska, announced that the incidents are “technically stabilised,” allowing the return of over 15,000 evacuated people, though a few thousand remain displaced. The Unidad Militar de Emergencias continues to monitor the situation.
Other incidents include a 30‑hectare fire that moved from Monfero to Guitiriz in Galicia, a 11.5‑hectare blaze in Masllorenç, Catalonia, and an ongoing fire in Zamora. Across the affected regions, authorities are using aerial assets, ground crews and community support centres to protect livestock, infrastructure and residents while assessing damage.
Entities: Antonio Rodrigo · Fernando Grande‑Marlaska · Gijón · Juan Carlos Valderrama · Posada Organización · Rodrigo Pintueles · Unidad Militar de Emergencias · Vall d’Uixó · Waste and Contaminated Soils Law
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Councilor Rodrigo Pintueles said the municipality acted before the law required a removal plan. (Gijón asbestos removal article)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] A €17,545 contract funded by the municipal Environment Department was awarded to Posada Organización. (Gijón asbestos removal article)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Eight rural parcels in Gijón were cleared of asbestos-containing fibro‑cement. (Gijón asbestos removal article)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The work was carried out ahead of the 2028 deadline set by the Waste and Contaminated Soils Law. (Gijón asbestos removal article)