Spanish Firefighters Make Progress as Wildfire Rages Near Madrid for Sixth Day

Firefighters in Spain have managed to gain ground against a large wildfire that has been burning for the sixth day about 60 kilometers northeast of Madrid. Emiliano García-Page, president of the Castilla-La Mancha regional government, stated that "we see light at the end of the tunnel." Thanks to the efforts of more than 600 firefighters and emergency workers overnight, the spread of the fire toward Soria has been practically halted.

The fire, which started on Thursday, spread rapidly, prompting the evacuation of about 1,200 people from more than 30 threatened settlements as a precaution. Authorities estimate that the flames have destroyed 29,000 hectares of forest. Nearly 50 firefighting aircraft and helicopters have been deployed.

Firefighting efforts are hampered by heat and strong winds. A third heatwave of the summer began on Tuesday in Spain, which the meteorological agency AEMET predicts will last about three days. In recent weeks, Portugal and several other European countries have also been battling major wildfires.

According to data from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), wildfires in Spain have already destroyed more than 115,000 hectares since the beginning of the year.