Worst wildfire in Madrid’s history forces thousands to flee homes

MADRID - The worst wildfire in the Madrid region’s history raged west of the Spanish capital on July 24, forcing authorities to evacuate or order around 26,000 people to remain indoors.Strong winds and scorching temperatures hampered efforts to contain the flames, which had destroyed dozens of homes and forced the closure of several roads, officials said.Two separate wind-fuelled wildfires had combined to become one huge blaze on July 24, which was close to merging with yet another in the neighbouring Castilla y Leon region, they added.“The smoke was incredibly thick. You couldn’t breathe,” Jose Cobos, who fled his home with his wife and three dogs, told private broadcaster Antena 3.Spanish authorities on July 24 ordered the evacuation of 7,000 more people from two new localities west of M