The wave of wildfires in the Community of Madrid has forced the evacuation of 13 localities and confined three others, affecting nearly 80,000 people across the region and in Ávila.
The wildfires ravaging the Community of Madrid and the province of Ávila have necessitated the preventive evacuation of tens of thousands of people. In the Community of Madrid, 13 municipalities have been completely evacuated and three others remain confined, according to the Government Delegation in Madrid.
The Government delegate in Madrid, Francisco Martín, explained that the absolute priority is to protect the population. The evacuated localities in the region are Chapinería, Navas del Rey, Colmenar del Arroyo, Fresnedillas de la Oliva, Robledo de Chavela, Navalagamella, Valdemaqueda, Aldea del Fresno, Zarzalejo, Peralejo, Cadalso de los Vidrios, Rozas de Puerto Real, and the Entrepinos urbanization.
Additionally, three municipalities in Madrid remain confined due to the extreme risk: San Martín de Valdeiglesias, Pelayos de la Presa, and Villa del Prado. Confinement is adopted when evacuation is dangerous or unfeasible, generally due to the presence of dense smoke or the proximity of fire to escape routes.
In the province of Ávila, the fire originating in Burgohondo has forced the evacuation of seven municipalities in the Tiétar Valley: Piedralaves, La Adrada, Casillas, Sotillo de la Adrada, Santa María del Tiétar, Navahondilla, La Iglesuela, Arenas de San Pedro, and Casavieja. Other localities have already been evacuated in previous days: Burgohondo, Hoyo de Pinares, Villanueva de Ávila, and the La Atalaya urbanization (belonging to El Tiemblo). Other towns remain confined: Cebreros, Navaluenga, and El Tiemblo.
In total, nearly 80,000 people have had to leave their homes across both regions, according to the latest figures from the authorities. The Government delegate, Nicanor Sen, noted that the advance of the fire, aided by the wind and the mass propagation of forest, has necessitated a rapid and massive evacuation.
The emergency operation continues to work to halt the spread of the fire and protect population centres. Authorities warn that new evacuations or confinements could occur in the coming hours, depending on the evolution of the fire and changing weather conditions.
Evacuations have been carried out following recommendations from emergency services and the ES-Alert system, which has sent alerts to residents' mobile phones. Additionally, more than 30 roads in the affected areas have been closed, complicating mobility and firefighting efforts.
The situation is particularly critical in the Sierra Oeste of Madrid, where fires have ravaged thousands of hectares of forest. Evacuated residents have been relocated to shelters set up by local councils and the Community of Madrid, while those confined remain in their homes following authorities' instructions.
The Government Delegation in Madrid insists that the priority is the safety of individuals and urges the population to follow emergency services' instructions. It is recommended to avoid unnecessary travel in the affected areas and to stay informed through official channels.
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