Wildfires near Madrid have merged into a blaze that regional officials say is beyond firefighters’ capacity to contain, prompting Spain to declare a national emergency. The fires have forced large-scale evacuations and lockdowns, while a separate blaze in Ávila risks joining the Madrid fire; the crisis matters because fast-moving flames, extreme heat and strong winds are threatening communities close to the capital.

At least 30,000 people have been evacuated in the Madrid region and 20,000 more placed under lockdown, with more than 60,000 affected overall. Around 6,000 hectares have burned near Madrid and nearly 9,000 in Ávila, while Spain’s military emergency unit has been deployed; in south-west France, more than 110,000 people have also been evacuated as fires move towards Bordeaux, with President Macron mobilising the military.