Wildfires in the Community of Madrid and Ávila have forced the evacuation of 23 municipalities, 12 of them in the Madrid region, and the confinement of another seven. Over 88,000 people are affected.
The wildfires ravaging the Community of Madrid and the province of Ávila have led to the evacuation of 12 municipalities in Madrid and the confinement of four others, according to sources from the Ministry of the Interior. In total, 59,488 people have been evacuated from their homes in both provinces, while 29,132 are currently confined.
In the Community of Madrid, the evacuated municipalities are Chapinería, Navas del Rey, Colmenar del Arroyo, Fresnedillas de la Oliva, Robledo de Chavela, Navalagamella, Aldea del Fresno, Zarzalejo, the hamlet of Peralejo, Rozas de Puerto Real, Cadalso de los Vidrios, and Cenicientos. They are joined by the confined localities: San Martín de Valdeiglesias, Valdemaqueda, Villa del Prado, and Pelayos de la Presa.
In Ávila, evacuations affect 11 populations: Sotillo de la Adrada, Navahondilla, Casillas, Santa María del Tiétar, La Adrada, Piedralaves, Casavieja, Burgohondo, Hoyo de Pinares, Villanueva de Ávila, and the urbanization La Atalaya in El Tiemblo. Additionally, Navaluenga, Burgohondo, and Cebreros are confined.
The two fires have a combined perimeter of over 200 kilometres and have burned approximately 45,000 hectares. According to the latest data from the Ministry for Ecological Transition, the fire in Ávila has damaged around 21,000 hectares with a perimeter of 112 kilometres, while the one in Madrid has exceeded 24,000 hectares burned and a perimeter of about 100 kilometres.
Experts describe these fires as "extreme," capable of creating their own weather, complicating firefighting efforts and predicting their evolution. Authorities are particularly concerned that both fronts could merge, forming a colossal fire. Currently, they are advancing driven by southwest winds of 50 kilometres per hour.
The situation has worsened in recent hours with the evacuation of the urbanizations El Pinar and El Romillo in Almorox (Toledo), ordered by the Forest Fire Prevention and Extinction Service of Castilla-La Mancha (Infocam), due to a fire declared in that municipality, which has been raised to level 2. An ES-Alert message has been sent to inform the population.
Additionally, the N-403 road between Cadalso de los Vidrios and Almorox remains closed. The first 70 residents evacuated from the Valle del Tiétar have already arrived in Talavera de la Reina.
The evolution of the fires will depend on the behaviour of the wind. Although it is expected to calm down tonight, concerns are at their highest. Authorities recommend that the population stay informed through official channels and follow the instructions of emergency services.
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