Felipe VI has participated by videoconference in the meeting of the State Emergency Committee from the operations centre of the General Command of the Balearic Islands in Palma.
King Felipe VI has been following the evolution of the serious wildfires affecting the Community of Madrid, Castilla y León, and Castilla-La Mancha from Palma this Friday. The head of state, who began his official stay in the Balearic capital with meetings with regional authorities, connected by videoconference to the meeting of the State Coordination and Direction Committee of the State Emergency Plan, convened at the operations centre of the General Command of the Balearic Islands.
The wildfires, which began in the last few hours, have forced the evacuation of more than 20,000 people and confined another 25,000 in various localities. The flames are advancing rapidly due to adverse weather conditions, with high temperatures and strong gusts of wind making firefighting efforts difficult.
During the day, the monarch has maintained telephone contact with the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, as well as with the presidents of the affected autonomous communities: Isabel Díaz Ayuso (Madrid), Alfonso Fernández Mañueco (Castilla y León), and Emiliano García-Page (Castilla-La Mancha). He has also spoken with several mayors of the affected municipalities to get firsthand information about the situation on the ground.
Earlier in the morning, the King had received the president of the Balearic Government, Marga Prohens, at the Almudaina Palace. After the meeting, Prohens highlighted the monarch's concern about the emergency: “The King, as always, demonstrates a knowledge of the territory; in fact, he was explaining to me the characteristics of this territory,” the regional leader noted.
The official stay of Felipe VI in Palma, which began this Friday, includes various audiences and institutional acts. The crisis of the wildfires has marked the first day of his agenda, with constant monitoring from the military operations centre. Authorities are keeping emergency devices active and expect weather conditions to improve in the coming hours to facilitate the control of the fires.
From the Balearic Government, President Prohens has offered support to the affected communities and made the resources of the autonomous community available if needed. So far, the wildfires have not affected the Balearic Islands, but the situation is being monitored closely due to the possible evolution of the wind.
Emergency services are working tirelessly to contain the flames, while authorities recommend that residents of evacuated areas follow the instructions of security forces. Coordination between administrations is key at this time, and the King's monitoring from Palma underscores the Royal House's involvement in managing the crisis.
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