Spain: Spanish army helicopters deploy aerial water drops to combat La Vall d'Uixo wildfire.

USERS MUST CREDIT "SPANISH ARMY" HANDOUT MUST NOT OBSCURE LOGO —EDITORIAL USE ONLY— SHOTLIST: CASTELLON, SPAIN (JULY 28, 2026) (SPANISH ARMY - RESTRICTED) VARIOUS OF SPANISH ARMY HELICOPTER CARRYING OUT WATER DROPS OVER WILDFIRECASTELLON, SPAIN - JULY 28: Spanish Army aviation units carried out targeted aerial firefighting operations on Tuesday, July 28, conducting direct water drops to help contain a wildfire near La Vall d'Uixo in eastern Spain. Video released by defense officials showed army helicopters dropping water along active fire lines in Castellon province. The aerial missions supported ongoing operations as military and civilian responders work to prevent the blaze from spreading. The major wildfires in Madrid and Avila remain active while the blazes began to subside as the country is bracing for its fourth heat wave of the summer. Fires have already burned about 50,000 hectares (123,553 acres) in Avila, 28,000 hectares (69,190 acres) in Madrid, and 8,500 hectares (21,004 acres) in Castellon. The total area burned nationwide has reached 172,400 hectares (425,977 acres) this year, according to public broadcaster RTVE. More than 180,000 people were evacuated or confined across Spain. Interior Ministry on late Tuesday announced lifting evacuation orders for 15 municipalities across Avila and Madrid. Around 9,000 inhabitants of Castellon and 6,000 of Toledo are also expected to return to their homes. Madrid is also beginning to gradually reopen roads affected by the wildfires, as the de-escalation progresses and safety conditions allow. Marlaska earlier described the Avila blaze as the “most significant and most aggressive fire in Spain’s history.” More than 400 emergency personnel worked overnight to contain the Valdemaqueda fire in Madrid before southerly winds were expected to intensify. Temperatures were forecast to reach 36-38C (96.8–100.4F) across much of Spain and exceed 40C (104F) in the Guadiana and Guadalquivir valleys.