Spain's Wildfires Trigger Mass Evacuations: What You Need to Know

CHAPINERIA, Spain -- Spain’s government declared a national emergency Friday after wildfires forced the evacuation of some 20,000 people from villages near Madrid, while in southern France more than 60,000 residents fled their homes, including by boat, to escape two major blazes.

“We are experiencing a dramatic situation, not just in several Spanish regions but also in neighboring countries,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote on X.

“My solidarity with all the people who have been affected and been forced to leave their homes.”