Spain PM Sanchez says 'difficult hours' ahead in battle against wildfires

MADRID: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Sunday difficult hours lay ahead in the fight against the country’s wildfires, but officials had seen positive developments in controlling the blazes around Madrid.

Around 75,000 people have been displaced by fires around the capital and near the eastern coastal city of Valencia, with strong winds risking spreading the wildfires south.

“Difficult hours lie ahead admittedly, but the update we received here … indicates that the night was very positive regarding the fire’s progression, its containment, and the firefighting efforts,” Sanchez told reporters on a visit to the Avila area affected by fires.

Firefighting planes from Italy and Portugal have been helping Spanish teams on the ground battling to control the blazes. Weather conditions have complicated their efforts.

Around 60,000 people have been displaced by the fires around the capital, while another 15,000 have been evacuated from their homes by another fire in Castellon in Valencia region.

Nearly 250,000 people have also been evacuated by fires in southwest France, where the government warned on Sunday that the situation remains very unfavourable.