Thousands of Spanish evacuees return as crews containing wildfires

Thousands of Spanish evacuees began returning home on Wednesday. Evacuation orders lifted for more than a dozen municipalities west of Madrid and across Ávila province as weather conditions improved overnight. Confinement orders eased in areas like Valld'Uixó, though separate blazes remain active.

Meanwhile firefighters in southwest France face worsening heatwave and high alert conditions in Gironde and Landes. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez noted the situation is evolving favorably but urged the public to stay extremely vigilant.