Spain orders evacuation and confinement of 100,000 residents as record wildfires rage

The Spanish interior ministry, led by Minister Fernando Grande‑Marlaska, issued an order to evacuate and confine roughly 100,000 residents in the most affected areas. The directive, coordinated by the Unidad Militar de Emergencias (UME) under Francisco Marcos and Fernando Martín Pascual, prioritises saving lives over protecting property as the nation confronts the largest wildfire outbreak in its recent history.

The fires began on 9 July in Los Gallardos, Almería, killing 14 people, and spread to Burgos, the Madrid region and other parts of Castile, scorching about 50,000 hectares. Authorities stress that evacuations and confinements are safer than forced displacement, especially as extreme heat continues to elevate fire risk across Spain and much of Europe. The crisis has also sparked political debate over climate‑change policies, with opposition parties rejecting the government’s proposed climate pact.