President Isabel Díaz Ayuso has announced extraordinary measures to remove burnt vehicles and debris, exempting municipalities from the state dumping tax.
The Community of Madrid has launched a package of urgent measures to manage the waste generated by the wildfires that have affected the Sierra Oeste. President Isabel Díaz Ayuso announced this after an extraordinary meeting of the Governing Council, where immediate and medium-term actions were approved to facilitate the cleaning and recovery of the affected areas.
The Ministry of Environment, Agriculture and Interior will allow municipalities and associations to establish new waste storage points from the start of the cleaning tasks. Additionally, treatment plants will be able to temporarily increase their capacity to absorb the volume of materials resulting from the fires.
The aim is to accelerate the removal of burnt vehicles and debris, while maintaining specific protocols for safe environmental recovery. Special attention will be paid to the management of asbestos, ashes, and biomass, as well as controlling dust emissions during the work.
As part of the measures, local administrations will be exempt from paying the state dumping tax, and the initial classification of waste will be simplified to expedite its removal. The regional government will enable the Construction and Demolition Waste Aggregation Centre in San Martín de Valdeiglesias and the Comprehensive Treatment Complex for Construction and Demolition Waste in Navalcarnero to manage the waste from the affected localities.
In parallel, the regional government will approve a line of aid for families, municipalities, self-employed individuals, SMEs, and agricultural and livestock operations to repair or rebuild energy facilities damaged by the fire. A grant program will also be launched to help families replace damaged appliances and restore normalcy in their homes.
The Governing Council has also greenlit free specialised veterinary care for production animals through the Livestock Health Defence Groups, and for companion animals injured during the emergency, in collaboration with the Official College of Veterinarians of Madrid. These professionals will visit the temporary accommodations where displaced residents are staying to check on the condition of their pets and provide necessary assistance.
The measures aim to minimise the environmental and health impact of the fires, as well as support those affected in recovering their homes and livelihoods. The municipalities of the Sierra Oeste will be able to request the establishment of storage points and immediately benefit from tax exemptions.
For more information, interested parties can consult the Community of Madrid's website or contact their municipalities, which will manage the aid and coordination with the treatment plants.
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