The Government delegate in Madrid, Francisco Martín, claims that the night-time weather conditions offer "a real opportunity" to control the fire affecting the western mountains. More than 60,000 people have been evacuated or confined in the Community of Madrid and Ávila.
The night has brought relief to the firefighting teams battling the forest fire in the western mountains of Madrid. The Government delegate in the Community of Madrid, Francisco Martín, has stated that the current weather conditions provide "a real opportunity" to control the fire, which since Thursday has forced the evacuation or confinement of over 60,000 people between Madrid and Ávila.
"After a truly complicated afternoon, a real opportunity now opens up to tackle this fire with a guarantee of success," Martín asserted after the latest meeting of the Fire Coordination and Monitoring Committee (Cecopi). The drop in temperatures, decrease in wind, and increase in relative humidity are the factors that, according to the delegate, allow "all firefighting efforts to be carried out on each flank of the fire front."
The fire, which began on Thursday, has severely affected several municipalities in the western mountains. The towns of Villa del Prado, San Martín de Valdeiglesias, Pelayos de la Presa, and Aldea del Fresno were the first to be evacuated. Throughout Friday, Chapinería, Navas del Rey, Colmenar del Arroyo, Robledo de Chavela, Fresnedillas de la Oliva, Navalagamella, and Zarzalejo were added to the list. In total, around 50,000 people have been evacuated in the Community of Madrid, while in the province of Ávila, the figure is around 13,000.
Authorities fear that the two major hotspots, one in Madrid and the other in Ávila, could merge, creating a single front that is difficult to control. Therefore, the central government has requested the activation of the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism, which will allow for the arrival of aerial resources from Italy and Greece throughout Saturday.
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, is scheduled to visit the affected area on Saturday. Sánchez will travel to the advanced command post located in Cenicientos and attend the meeting of the State Coordination and Direction Committee of the State Emergency Plan (Cecod). From there, he will make an institutional statement to inform about the situation and the measures taken.
Meanwhile, firefighting teams are working tirelessly to take advantage of the night hours. "The precise conditions to control this fire that is causing so much damage to our environment are present," emphasized Francisco Martín, who has urged the population to remain cautious and follow the authorities' instructions.
Residents of the evacuated towns have been relocated to centres set up by the municipalities and the Community of Madrid. Many spent the night in makeshift shelters, waiting for the fire to subside so they can return home. The roads in the area remain closed to traffic, and it is advised to avoid any non-essential travel in the western mountains.
The evolution of the fire will largely depend on the weather conditions in the coming hours. If the wind does not pick up and humidity remains, firefighters are hopeful of stabilising the front before midday on Saturday. However, authorities do not rule out further evacuations if the fire changes direction.
This fire adds to a particularly virulent season in Spain, with several active fires simultaneously in different communities. The Community of Madrid, which does not usually suffer fires of this magnitude, has seen flames ravage thousands of hectares of woodland and has had to mobilise all available resources.
Residents of the affected municipalities, such as Robledo de Chavela or Navas del Rey, have expressed their concern over the loss of forest cover and the impact on wildlife. "It is an ecological tragedy," lamented a resident of Chapinería. Authorities have assured that once the fire is controlled, damage assessments will be conducted and restoration plans will be initiated.
For now, the priority is to extinguish the flames and ensure the safety of people. Friday night has been crucial for the firefighting teams, who are hopeful that dawn will bring good news.
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