Massive forest fires reignite political tensions in Spain – POLITICO

The massive wildfires that have forced the evacuation of more than 100,000 people in Spain are reviving the domestic political infighting that is usually dormant during the summer months, when the country’s parliament is on recess.

More than 45,000 hectares have been scorched by the fires raging across the Spanish regions of Madrid, Ávila, Toledo and Castellón. At least one person is confirmed to have died, and the proximity of the fires to the capital have prompted authorities to advise the public to stay indoors or wear facemasks due to the elevated presence of smoke and ash in the air.

The scale of the crisis is such that Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government has declared a national emergency, a legal move that enables the country’s ministry of the interior to assume control of coordinating all actions and resources at the national, regional and local levels.