Abascal blames the Prime Minister for the fires and again denies climate change: "Sánchez is a plague"

Santiago Abascal has used the new wave of forest fires to launch another personal attack against Pedro Sánchez. The leader of the far-right Vox has blamed the Government for the severity of the flames, has discredited climate change policies and has left out of his narrative the powers that autonomous communities exercise throughout the year.

"Another national disaster. We cannot lose count, because responsibilities will have to be demanded for all of them," he wrote this Friday on X. Abascal assures that "climate fanaticism" prevents fires from being prevented and that government corruption has deprived extinction services of the necessary means, although he has not provided any data to support this accusation.

The far-right leader also accused "Sánchez's mafia" of taking advantage of tragedies to harm autonomous governments of a different political persuasion. He then finished his message with a new insult to the president. "Sánchez is a plague," he wrote while thousands of professionals fought the flames in Madrid, Castilla y León and Castilla-La Mancha.

Abascal's words came hours after the Government declared an emergency of national interest in the Community of Madrid and in the province of Ávila. Interior has taken over the direction of the operation at the request of the Madrid Executive and has placed the Military Emergency Unit in charge of on-the-ground coordination.

The powers that Abascal leaves out

The prevention, surveillance and ordinary extinction of forest fires correspond to the autonomous communities. The Forest Law obliges them to approve annual plans for their entire territory, maintain devices throughout the twelve months and reinforce their resources when meteorological conditions increase the danger.

These plans must include preventive works, the organization of staff, material resources, surveillance, infrastructures, and the limitations applicable during very high or extreme risk days. The State sets common criteria, offers national coverage means, and reinforces the autonomous communities when they request help.

The national emergency declared this Friday has temporarily changed that distribution. Fernando Grande-Marlaska now directs all state, regional, and local resources mobilized in Madrid and Ávila, while the UME leadership assumes operational direction. The Government has also activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism and has obtained four planes sent by Greece and Italy.

Abascal's accusation against the alleged lack of state resources also does not fit with the known deployment. More than 1,100 members of the UME work on the fires along with hundreds of Civil Guard agents, Civil Protection personnel, forest brigades, aerial means from the Ministry, and regional devices.

Climate change aggravates large fires

Vox has again rejected this Friday that climate change is related to the severity of the fires and has attributed them to "ideology," "incompetence," and the "abandonment" of the countryside. The scientific explanation is much broader than that political argument.

The spark that starts each fire has a specific cause. It can come from negligence, agricultural activity, an accident, lightning, or an intentional action. Extreme heat, drought, wind, and low vegetation humidity then determine the speed of propagation, the intensity of the flames, and the ability of teams to stop them.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that the combination of heatwaves, drought, and changes in land use reduces the moisture of plant fuel in the Mediterranean region. This process increases the risk of fire, lengthens danger seasons, and favors more intense fires.

CSIC researcher Juli Pausas explains that the increase in temperatures and the frequency of droughts and heatwaves allow large fires to occur with fewer ignitions and less vegetation continuity. Forest management remains essential, but it must prepare for an increasingly warm, dry, and flammable territory.

Forest prevention and climate adaptation are part of the same response. Clearing, firebreaks, mosaic landscapes, forest management, surveillance, and stable workforces reduce vulnerability. Climate policies help anticipate weather conditions that are leaving fires increasingly difficult to contain.

The third vice-president, Sara Aagesen, has asked the communities this week to expand their devices and adapt them to this scenario. She has also announced a new call after the summer to advance a State pact against the climate emergency. "We must activate plans, the responsibility of the communities, for prevention, surveillance and extinction," she defended.

The Government responds with collaboration

Abascal has presented the fires as a new battle against Sánchez when Spain already exceeds 100,000 burned hectares and counts 13 deaths during 2026. The flames have also forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of people and have reached residential areas of Madrid and Ávila.

The Government has focused its message on the evolution of the fronts, the safety of the population and the coordination of resources. Marlaska has set as the main objective to prevent the fires of Madrid and Ávila from converging, an especially dangerous possibility due to the wind and the speed of advance of the Burgohondo fire.

The minister has also asked citizens to comply with evacuation orders and has avoided entering into the exchange of insults proposed by Abascal. "The collaboration between administrations is being absolutely real, effective and with maximum loyalty in such a situation," he responded from the operation.