Tens of thousands evacuated as wildfires rage across Spain, France, and Italy

Tens of thousands of people were urged to evacuate on Thursday as forest fires continued to tear through Spain, France and Italy.

The latest fires come as Europe prepares for another heat wave, with temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) forecast in some areas.

So far in 2026, wildfires have burnt more land in Europe than the annual average over the past two decades.

Climate change is making extreme weather events, such as heatwaves and the forest fires that ensue, more frequent and more severe.

Spain declares national emergency in Madrid region

To better tackle several out-of-control wildfires, Spain declared a national emergency in the Madrid region and in the province of Avila, near the capital, late on Thursday.

The measure aims to speed up the deployment of resources to fight the blazes, which have forced some 10,000 people in the region to evacuate.

The decision also transfers the crisis response to the military emergency unit of the Spanish Armed Forces, which is specialized in disaster relief.

Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez posted on X that "the government has deployed every available resource to stop the terrible fires currently affecting numerous areas: Avila, Leon, Toledo, Madrid and other parts of Spain."

Sanchez also visited a fire-ravaged area in Guadalajara, northeast of Madrid, where more than 30 villages were evacuated.

"Year after year we clearly see how climate change kills and destroys wealth in our communities," he said. "This isn't politics. It is science, it's about facts."

France seeks EU civil protection mechanism

Across the border in France, President Emmanuel Macron said that France has invoked the EU's civil protection mechanism to ask for help to tackle forest fires.

"We will soon have support from two Croatian Canadair aircraft, two Portuguese Air Tractors and two heavy-lift Black Hawk helicopters from the Czech Republic and Slovakia," Macron posted on X early on Friday morning.

Authorities evacuated 7,000 people "as a precaution" on Thursday north of Cap Ferret, near the tourist hub of Arcachon Bay, bringing the total number of evacuees in the area to 12,000.

Fires had ravaged around 2,000 hectares (nearly 5,000 acres), authorities said on Wednesday.

Italian officials blame 'malicious' arsonists

Around 6,000 firefighters, forest guards and civil protection officials have been deployed across Sicily after fires have raged for days.

Regional president Renato Schifani said about 50 fires were still burning despite the deployment of water-bombing aircraft.

And on the mainland of Italy, in Calabria, more than 160 fires have been recorded.

Local officials in Calabria have accused "malicious individuals" of arson, pointing to rags doused in flammable liquid that were tied to the tails of stray cats to spread fires.