‘It felt like the end of the world’: Spanish wildfire evacuees tell of their narrow escapes
Residents near Madrid describe the harrowing experience of evacuating their homes as wildfires rapidly consumed the surrounding landscape. The event highlights the increasing threat of climate-driven disasters in Southern Europe.
Why it matters
It underscores the human impact of extreme weather events and the growing challenges faced by emergency services in the face of climate change.
A helicopter drops water over a fire near houses in Valdesanmartin neighbourhood, El Tiemblo, Madrid on 25 July. A helicopter drops water over a fire near houses in Valdesanmartin neighbourhood, El Tiemblo, Madrid on 25 July. Spain ‘It felt like the end of the world’: Spanish wildfire evacuees tell of their narrow escapes The people of Robledo near Madrid witnessed unearthly scenes of devastation as their town was consumed by fire
More than 250,000 people flee wildfires in France and Spain
Sam Jones in Las Rozas Sat 25 Jul 2026 12.49 EDT Last modified on Sat 25 Jul 2026 15.00 EDT Share Prefer the Guardian on Google When David Olivares went to bed on Thursday night, tired from a four-hour motorbike ride, the fire creeping towards his home town of Robledo de Chavela seemed a distant menace.
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