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Tens of thousands evacuated as wildfires rage across Spain

China

Tens of thousands evacuated as wildfires rage across Spain
China

China

Tens of thousands evacuated as wildfires rage across Spain

2026-07-28 20:11 Last Updated At:21:37

Thousands more people have been forced to evacuate as wildfires continue to spread across Spain, with residents fearing for the loss of their properties as the ferocious flames close in.

The fires, which broke out Thursday, are now causing major alarm around the capital Madrid and in the Valencia region on Spain's eastern coast, with 79,000 people being evacuated and around 30,000 others urged to remain inside their homes.

A new blaze that erupted Sunday near Valencia has seen 15,000 people evacuated as concerns grow about the scale of damage it could bring.

Spanish authorities say more than 1,500 square kilometers of land have been destroyed by wildfires so far this year, which is six times the area burnt during the same period last year.

The blaze burning around the central city of Avila has already become the largest on record in the country's history after scorching around 50,000 hectares, according to the Spanish news agency EFE on Sunday.

Spot fires and burnt-out forests have scarred the countryside of Avila as authorities rush to close off affected regions.

Though no deaths have been reported in this area, the record-breaking fire spread so fast that even wild animals couldn't out-run it.

"It's horrible that there are dead deer on the road," said Jose, a local resident.

Many who have had to leave their homes have been sleeping at emergency evacuation centers since Thursday.

In Las Rozas municipality of Madrid, around 250 people are being accommodated at a temporary shelter, where concerns about the severity of the current situation and the unclear outcome continue to rise.

"Yes, we are worried, because in the end, it's our house, it's where we live. We have pets and of course, you'd think: 'I'm leaving. What I will see when I come back?'" said Nuria Rodriguez Amaya, an evacuee.

"[We are concerned] because they are repeated every year. For example, in this case, there are three wildfires that came together. To me, it doesn't seem like a normal thing," said Alba Agustinos, another evacuee.

Tens of thousands evacuated as wildfires rage across Spain

Tens of thousands evacuated as wildfires rage across Spain

Flights from across Japan to the country's Kumamoto have been suspended after a strong earthquake struck near the prefecture on Tuesday.

The earthquake, with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1, rocked Kumamoto and had a focal depth of 10 kilometers, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said.

As of 17:20 local time, 11 aftershocks, including a magnitude 6.1 temblor, have rocked the country's southwestern region, after the powerful quake, measuring max seven on Japan's seismic intensity scale, hit Kumamoto at around 16:27 local time, the weather agency said.

"Currently, flights from all over Japan to Kumamoto have been suspended. The fastest way to reach the disaster area in Kumamoto is to travel overland from Fukuoka or Kagoshima in Kyushu region to the epicenter," China Media Group (CMG) reporter He Xinlei reported at Tokyo's Haneda Airport.

As of now, more than 30 aftershocks have been recorded within about three hours after the main quake.

Apart from flights, all train services, including Shinkansen bullet and local trains, were halted in Kyushu after the quake, Kyodo News reported.

According to the JMA, this is the first time seismic intensity seven has been recorded in Japan since the Noto Peninsula Earthquake in January 2024, and also the first time Kumamoto Prefecture has recorded a seismic intensity of seven since the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake, during which intensity seven was observed twice.

A tsunami warning of one meter has been issued for the Ariake Sea and Yatsushiro Sea in southwestern Japan.

Flights to Kumamoto suspended after strong quake

Flights to Kumamoto suspended after strong quake

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