Francisco Martín assures that the night operations have contained the advance of the fire towards Valdemaqueda and that, if safety conditions allow, the return of the evacuees will be ordered.
The Government Delegate in Madrid, Francisco Martín, expressed his confidence on Tuesday that the wildfires affecting the Community of Madrid will evolve positively in the coming hours, which would allow the return of evacuated residents from various localities. He made this statement before participating in meetings of the State Coordination Committee (CECOD) and the Integrated Operational Coordination Centre (CECOPI), held at the advanced command post set up in Navalcarnero.
“If we confirm that safety conditions are in place to facilitate these returns, we will announce it and that decision will be made as long as safety conditions allow for the return,” Martín stated. The delegate added that the goal is to “definitively evolve towards the possibility of lifting the restrictions that we have had to impose in previous days.”
During the night on Monday, firefighting teams managed to contain the advance of the fire on the northern front of the San Juan reservoir, which threatened the locality of Valdemaqueda. According to Martín, “last night was absolutely crucial for working and containing the evolution of the fire to the north of the San Juan reservoir towards Valdemaqueda, and an extraordinary effort has been made.”
A total of 400 personnel, including firefighters from the Community of Madrid, the Military Emergency Unit (UME), and personnel from other autonomous communities, worked throughout the night to halt the advance of the flames. “The best news is that the efforts have been effective and that we have managed to stop the advance of the fire towards Valdemaqueda, a line that has not been crossed,” the delegate emphasised.
However, the fire remains out of control, especially in the northern area of the San Juan reservoir. Martín explained that the coming hours are crucial, as a change in wind is expected around noon that could complicate the situation. “These are key hours because at noon a change in wind is expected, and therefore, the consolidation of cooling and containment of the front will be decisive to declare it under control,” he warned.
The delegate highlighted that the deployment of resources has been “of such magnitude in such a confined territory” and that it has been essential for the front not to surpass the M-537 road. “Perhaps this is the first occasion where there has been a deployment of such magnitude in such a confined territory, because it was absolutely fundamental that the front did not surpass the M-537, and that has been the case,” he insisted.
Martín thanked the work of all public servants, including the UME, the firefighters from the Community of Madrid, and those from other autonomous communities who “have been fighting all night to ensure that the fire did not surpass the defensive line and who have now enabled aerial resources to work again.”
The temperatures, which will rise starting tomorrow, add pressure to the situation. “Temperatures will begin to rise especially tomorrow, and the window of opportunity that has been indicated since yesterday was closing by noon or one o'clock today, and therefore the work that will be carried out this morning is key to consolidating the great success achieved last night,” he noted.
Regarding the other active fronts in the Community of Madrid, Martín confirmed that “they remain consolidated as well, there have been no reactivations in any of them throughout the night, and work and monitoring will continue over the next few hours.”
The evacuated residents, who are staying in shelters or with family, are awaiting news about their return. The delegate has been cautious: “It is still out of control, mainly due to the situation in the north of the San Juan reservoir, and it cannot yet be declared under control, but it is evolving positively and if we continue like this, we will soon have good news.”
For the moment, aerial resources have already resumed their tasks and work is underway to consolidate the perimeters. The evolution of the wind at noon will be decisive in confirming whether the danger subsides and whether the return of the evacuees can be ordered.
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