Thousands of residents evacuated because of devastating wildfires across Spain have been allowed to return to their homes after authorities eased emergency restrictions in parts of Toledo, Madrid, Ávila and Castellón.
In the Madrid region alone, around 24,000 residents have been cleared to return home, while movement restrictions affecting another 20,000 people have also been lifted.
However, officials have warned that the relief may be short-lived as Spain and neighbouring France prepare for the fourth heatwave of the summer, raising concerns that existing wildfires could intensify or new ones could erupt.
Several fires remain active, including a major blaze in Burgohondo, about 150 kilometres (93 miles) west of Madrid.
In south-west France, authorities said the largest wildfires in the Gironde region remain “still stabilised” despite multiple flare-ups. Officials warned that dry winds and temperatures expected to reach 41°C (106°F) could worsen conditions.
The Mayor of Le Barp, near Bordeaux, Blandine Sarrazin, said the situation was becoming increasingly difficult after two new fires broke out the previous day.
She urged residents to remain “hyper-vigilant.”
French authorities have placed 16 departments under orange heatwave alerts, including the Landes region further south.
The Gironde fire service has also introduced special protective measures around several strategic defence and aerospace facilities. These “Seveso” sites manufacture hazardous materials used in missiles and rocket production.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the coming hours would be critical in containing the wildfire near the capital.
“Things are progressing favourably, with maximum caution,” he told reporters, warning that rising temperatures, falling humidity and stronger winds could rapidly change conditions.
One of the most serious fires remains out of control at Vall d’Uixó, north-west of Valencia.
Meanwhile, the wildfire in Burgohondo, in Ávila province, has already consumed more than 43,000 hectares (108,000 acres), making it the largest wildfire ever recorded in Spain.
Across the country, wildfires have destroyed more than 207,000 hectares of land this year.
The Burgohondo blaze has forced approximately 40,000 people from their homes.
A member of the emergency response leadership team, Francisco Bolaños, said firefighters had managed to prevent the blaze from spreading overnight.
“The fire has not moved a centimetre during the night,” he said.
However, he warned that soaring temperatures could cause the flames to reignite, with crews focused on securing a 180-kilometre (112-mile) perimeter.
Among those returning home were about 1,000 residents of Navas del Rey and Chapinería, west of Madrid, who had been temporarily accommodated in Leganés.
The Mayor of Chapinería, Lucía Moya, said the wildfire had left lasting damage.
“Many residents have lost their homes and jobs. Getting back on track is going to be an arduous task.”
Many of the approximately 2,000 evacuees from the nearby Tiétar Valley had been housed by volunteers in Talavera de la Reina, south of the fire zone.
Although many residents have returned home, around 300 evacuees remained in temporary accommodation on Wednesday morning.
Mayor José Julián Gregorio assured them they would continue receiving “the same level of care as on the first day.”
Firefighters continue to warn that the combination of extreme heat and dry winds could quickly reignite contained fires.
While no deaths have been recorded in the wildfires around Madrid or Castellón, authorities confirmed that a woman severely injured during the Los Gallardos wildfire in Almería earlier this month has died in hospital.
The Almería wildfires claimed 14 lives, including citizens from the United Kingdom, Belgium, the United States, France and Spain.
Wildfires are also burning in neighbouring Portugal, particularly in the north-eastern district of Vila Real.
Civil protection officials told broadcaster RTP that an active fire front stretching approximately one kilometre remains a threat, with emergency services closely monitoring a nearby water treatment plant and gas depot near Valpaços.
Elsewhere, firefighters are battling fresh wildfires in Greece, including on the island of Paros in the Aegean Sea and in Trifylia on the southern Greek mainland.
Scientists have repeatedly warned that climate change is contributing to rising global temperatures. According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, Europe is warming twice as fast as the global average, leading to more frequent and intense summer heatwaves, increased pressure on water supplies and a growing number of severe wildfires across the continent.
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