Spanish authorities have lifted evacuation orders for all towns affected by a major wildfire in Ávila province, west of Madrid, allowing residents to return home as firefighters continue efforts to contain nearby blazes.
The Interior Ministry announced on Wednesday that evacuation measures had been withdrawn with immediate effect for the remaining 12 towns in Ávila that were still under restriction.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said emergency crews had made encouraging progress in tackling the wildfire threatening the Madrid region but warned that the next 12 hours would be crucial in bringing the blaze under control.
Speaking at a command centre in Navalcarnero, Sánchez said authorities were moving closer to extinguishing the fire, while stressing that operations would continue with extreme caution.
Firefighters have been battling wildfires in the Madrid region and neighbouring Ávila province since last week. Officials described the disaster as one of the worst wildfire emergencies Spain has experienced in recent years.
The fires forced tens of thousands of residents to evacuate, with many returning this week to find their homes destroyed.
After permitting residents in several municipalities across Madrid and Ávila to return on Tuesday, the government extended the measure on Wednesday to cover the remaining affected communities in Ávila and two additional towns in the Madrid region.
According to Madrid’s central government representative, Francisco Martin, about 24,000 residents had already returned home under Tuesday’s decision, while another 1,500 people became eligible to return following Wednesday’s announcement. Around 9,500 residents remain displaced in the Madrid region.
Authorities said the wildfires have scorched nearly 80,000 hectares (about 200,000 acres) of land.