Spain is facing a critical period as emergency services work to bring large wildfires under control before another intense heatwave increases the risk of further spread.

Tens of thousands of residents have been forced to evacuate from areas around Madrid and other affected regions, with many leaving behind their homes, pets and essential belongings at very short notice.

Firefighters made some progress overnight due to lower temperatures, lighter winds and higher humidity, but officials have warned that these favourable conditions are expected to end soon.

Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska described the next two days as decisive for containing the fires before temperatures climb towards 40°C across central and southern Spain.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez urged people across the country to exercise extreme caution and linked the worsening wildfire seasons directly to climate change, saying such disasters are no longer exceptional events.

The fires have already burned tens of thousands of hectares, destroyed homes, campsites and vehicles, displaced large numbers of people and claimed lives since the beginning of the year.Authorities are gradually restoring some transport services and allowing farmers to return to care for livestock where conditions permit.

The article also highlights the parallel wildfire emergency in southwest France, where massive blazes have forced hundreds of thousands to evacuate and even generated rare fire-induced storm clouds known as pyrocumulonimbus clouds.

Scientists continue to warn that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of heatwaves and extreme wildfire events across southern Europe, placing growing pressure on emergency responders and affected communities.