The multi-purpose pavilion of Espartales, in Alcalá de Henares, has been hosting around 150 people evacuated due to the wildfires affecting the Community of Madrid since Monday. The mayor, Judith Piquet, and the health councillor, Fátima Matute, visited the facility.
About 150 residents from Zarzalejo and Cenicientos, evacuated due to the wildfires ravaging the Community of Madrid, have been accommodated since Monday in the multi-purpose pavilion of Espartales, in Alcalá de Henares. The operation, coordinated by the Alcalá City Council and the Community of Madrid, provides health assistance, accommodation, and psychological support to the displaced families.
The mayor of Alcalá de Henares, Judith Piquet, accompanied the health councillor, Fátima Matute, during a visit to the reception centre to oversee the operation. They toured the facilities, which include a health post from SUMMA 112, a breastfeeding room, family rooms, a veterinary area for pets, a children's zone, a dining area, and a rest area. The pavilion has a capacity for 200 people.
Piquet highlighted the rapid coordination between administrations since the emergency began. “We have worked together with the Community of Madrid to ensure health assistance, referrals for those with medical needs, and psychological support,” the mayor stated. The operation also includes support from Civil Protection, Local Police, National Police, the Municipal Services Park, and the Sports City.
The mayor thanked the involvement of companies and entities that have rallied to support the evacuees. “Alcalá has once again shown that it is a caring city; I can only express my gratitude,” she affirmed. Among the collaborators, she mentioned supermarkets that have donated food, chef Iván Plademunt, the reception centres San Juan Pablo II and Virgen de las Angustias, the Red Cross, and the volunteers who have been attending to the operation since its opening.
The City Council has prepared a contingency plan to expand capacity if necessary. In addition to the 200 places at Espartales, there are other municipal pavilions ready to be activated. Piquet also thanked the rector of the University of Alcalá, who offered university residences to accommodate families, and the city's hotel sector for their willingness to collaborate.
As president of the Federation of Municipalities of Madrid, Piquet acknowledged the efforts of mayors from other municipalities that have opened similar facilities. “We are demonstrating that by working together in the same direction, we can best tackle such difficult situations,” she concluded.
The evacuees mainly come from Zarzalejo and Cenicientos, two of the towns most affected by the wildfires that have forced hundreds of people to evacuate in the Madrid mountains since the weekend. The Alcalá de Henares operation will remain active as long as the emergency requires, with continuous attention to the needs of those accommodated.
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