Spain battles record wildfires as blazes destroy 77,000 hectares

Emergency services in Spain continue to combat widespread wildfires that have scorched up to 77,000 hectares across four provinces, marking the country's worst recorded fire crisis. Investigators identified an eight-ton hydraulic excavator used in rural forestry work as the cause of Spain's largest single fire in Ávila, which burned over 50,000 hectares.

The crisis has impacted nearly 90,000 people through forced evacuations or confinement orders, with emergency facilities such as Ávila's Police Academy converted into temporary shelters. While firefighter crews report slight stabilization near Ávila, Madrid, and Toledo, emergency officials established a unified command to prevent separate fronts from merging. Meanwhile, a major fire in La Vall d'Uixó remains uncontrolled. Visiting affected zones, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez urged a national cross-party pact on climate change.

Sources: El Mundo, La Vanguardia