As wildfires continue to spread across Europe, 92,000 residents and summer vacationers have been evacuated.

Spain has declared a state of emergency over wildfires for the first time in its history.

France and Spain have requested assistance from the European Union (EU).

The Spanish government announced that it would declare a state of emergency on the night of the 23rd local time, stating that simultaneous wildfires and worsening weather conditions are complicating response efforts.

Two large fires that broke out west of the Madrid region merged into one on the afternoon of the 24th, quickly scorching 3,000 hectares (30 square kilometers), and are at risk of merging with another major fire.

Isabel Diaz Ayuso, president of the regional government, said it is the worst fire in Madrid's history.

25,000 people were evacuated from this region alone.

In Avila, located northwest of Madrid, an area of 9,000 hectares (90 square kilometers) was burned, and 1,500 people were evacuated.

Francisco Martinez, mayor of Burgohondo, which is accommodating displaced people in Avila, said, "I have never seen anything like this in my 60 years of life."

Firefighters are reportedly struggling to extinguish the flames as strong winds, rugged terrain, and dry weather cause the fires to spread rapidly.

The Prime Minister's Office stated that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez plans to visit the emergency response coordination center set up in the region on the morning of Saturday the 25th.

Spanish police are investigating a man for using heavy machinery in an area where its use is prohibited due to fire risks.

Prime Minister Sanchez previously posted on X, urging citizens to be cautious, saying, "The government is deploying all available resources to stop the fires affecting various parts of Spain, including Avila, Leon, Toledo, and Madrid."

According to data from Spain's Ministry for Ecological Transition, 29 major wildfires have broken out so far this year, significantly higher than the average of 9 recorded between January and July over the past 10 years.

The burned area stands at 115,000 hectares (1,150 square kilometers), which is close to twice the size of Seoul (605 square kilometers).

Heatwaves, dry weather, and strong winds are fueling the spread of the wildfires.

On the 23rd, temperatures soared to a high of 44.7°C (112°F) in Murcia, and on the 22nd, temperatures reached highs of 42°C (108°F) in several cities in Avila.

According to EFFIS, the intensity of wildfires within the EU this year has broken various records from this time last year.

By the 22nd, an area about twice the average of the past 20 years had burned in the EU.

France recorded its largest burned area ever, while Spain recorded its highest number of fires.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, whose country is also suffering nationwide from wildfires, told AFP that there are currently 32 large and small wildfires occurring simultaneously.

Minister Nunez stated that the wildfire in the southwestern Gironde region alone has burned more than 10,000 hectares, calling it "the largest of this season."

He explained that 80 homes were burned, about 50 of which were completely destroyed.

About 44,000 people have been or are being evacuated by land and sea in the region.

In particular, a full evacuation order was issued for the Cap Ferret peninsula, which is lined with luxury homes and crowded with tourists enjoying summer vacations in campgrounds or rental properties.

Cap Ferret, located about 60 kilometers away from the wine-producing region of Bordeaux, is famous as a resort area with many mansions owned by the wealthy.

As the flames threatened the only land route, hundreds of people boarded dozens of boats to evacuate.

About 40 out of 1,000 firefighters deployed to fight the wildfires in this region were injured.

AFP reported that 3 firefighters died in the line of duty while fighting wildfires in France and Italy this week alone.

Minister Nunez stated that due to difficulties in extinguishing the wildfires in the Gironde region, resources deployed to other areas where the situation is relatively improving will be reallocated.

According to Minister Nunez, 2,500 hectares have been consumed by wildfires since the previous afternoon in the Landes region adjacent to Gironde, where 23,000 people were evacuated and about 100 homes were damaged or destroyed.

Minister Nunez stated that the total area burned by wildfires since January of this year has exceeded 50,000 hectares, which is nearly three times the figure from the same period last year.

France has requested assistance from the EU to swiftly extinguish the wildfires raging across the country.

In a post on X, President Emmanuel Macron wrote that "the situation is extremely urgent due to the wildfires sweeping across the country, especially in the Gironde region," and that he has "requested the activation of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism."

This is a system through which EU member states can request support from other member states when experiencing major disasters.

Accordingly, President Macron announced that two amphibious firefighting aircraft from Croatia, two Air Tractor helicopters from Portugal, and two Black Hawk heavy helicopters from the Czech Republic and Slovakia will be swiftly provided as support.

President Macron also urged citizens to "exercise extreme caution," noting that minor carelessness can lead to wildfires.

The European Commission announced that it has begun providing support, including dispatching firefighting aircraft, in response to requests from Spain and France.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)