King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia have embarked on a three-day visit to the regions of Castilla y León, Galicia, and Extremadura to assess the extensive damage caused by recent wildfires. Their visit began in Zamora and León on Wednesday, where they met with residents and fire-fighting teams to understand the impact of the fires. The monarch expressed the importance of being close to affected communities, stating, ‘We wanted to be near those affected.’

During their visit, the royals received a warm welcome from locals as they toured the regions most devastated by the wildfires, which have scorched tens of thousands of hectares in recent weeks. The flames have also threatened ecologically sensitive areas such as the Picos de Europa National Park. King Felipe VI urged collaboration to rejuvenate the local economy, acknowledging the long road to recovery ahead.

Following their tour of Zamora, the royal couple visited the historic Monastery of San Martín de Castañeda, where they were greeted with cheers and applause from community members. As they moved to Las Médulas in León, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the King reflected on the scale of the tragedy but maintained an optimistic outlook based on the resilience of the local people.

On Thursday, they will continue their journey to Galicia, where they are scheduled to visit the fire-affected towns of Verín, Cualedro, and Monterrei. They will meet with mayors, affected residents, and agricultural producers to discuss the ongoing recovery efforts. The visit concludes on Friday in Extremadura. Additionally, Queen Sofía has established an emergency fund of fifty thousand euros to support environmental and social recovery efforts in the affected areas.