Over 300,000 flee and state of emergency declared as wildfires sweep across Western Europe

Jul 27, 2026, 10:13 am

Spain declared its first-ever national state of emergency due to wildfires as massive blazes hitting Spain and France spread out of control. As of the 26th (local time), it has been reported that at least three people have died and over 300,000 have evacuated, and while the European Union (EU) and individual nations are pouring all available resources into extinguishing the flames, strong winds, heatwaves, and dry conditions are complicating containment efforts.

According to Reuters and other foreign media, the Spanish government declared a national state of emergency on the 23rd as consecutive wildfires broke out in areas west of Madrid, including San Martín de Valdeiglesias, Villa del Prado, and El Tiemblo. West of Madrid, two large wildfires merged on the morning of the 24th, scorching 3,000 hectares in an instant. Over 19,000 people were evacuated from three villages in this area, and authorities expanded evacuation orders near Toledo, southwest of Madrid, on the 25th in preparation for worsening conditions. One resident died near Valencia due to the fires.

In France, wildfires that started in the southwest on the 22nd temporarily subsided but intensified again on the evening of the 25th in the Gironde region, including Bordeaux, prompting authorities to issue additional evacuation orders. Two firefighters lost their lives in the blaze. The French government deployed 1,500 troops starting on the 25th to assist in fighting the fires. AFP and France 24 reported that this military deployment represents an unprecedented scale for a wildfire response.

The EU also stepped in with a joint response. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that through the EU's disaster response mechanism, rescEU, five firefighting aircraft and two helicopters were deployed to France, while four additional aircraft were dispatched to Spain.

Countries including Romania, Croatia, Germany, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia also provided firefighting personnel and equipment.

Experts attribute this massive outbreak of wildfires to climate change. As the European continent warms at more than twice the global average, heatwaves and droughts are worsening, particularly in southern regions. With soil and vegetation becoming extremely dry, combined with strong winds, flames are spreading rapidly and making containment increasingly difficult.

Meanwhile, there are overseas precedents where the highest level of national disaster response systems was activated due to major wildfires. In February 2024, when wildfires in Valparaíso, Chile, killed over 130 people, then-President Gabriel Boric declared a state of emergency, ordering curfews and military deployment.

Kim Hyun-min

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