King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia visited evacuees sheltering at a sports center in Villamanta on Sunday, as wildfires in southwestern Madrid forced thousands from their homes. More than 200 displaced residents spent recent nights at the La Chopera facility, one of 15 reception points across the region accommodating nearly 2,500 people.
The king praised the coordinated response of emergency services, volunteers, and local administrations, saying that working together makes it possible to face any risk. The royal couple were joined by Madrid regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso and the head of the Military Emergency Unit, which has been leading firefighting operations.
The blazes have burned more than 45,000 hectares with a perimeter exceeding 200 kilometers, prompting the evacuation or confinement of nearly 90,000 people across Madrid, Ávila, and Toledo, and 15,000 more in Castellón. Over 3,000 personnel are battling the fires with support from Portugal, Italy, and Greece. Earlier Sunday, the king held a briefing at UME headquarters and had spoken by phone with mayors of affected towns over the weekend.