Eleven localities in the Community of Madrid have been evacuated and more than 40,000 people have had to leave their homes due to the most severe forest fire recorded in the region.
The fire that is ravaging the southwest of the Community of Madrid since early Thursday has forced the evacuation of eleven municipalities and the displacement or confinement of more than 40,000 people, according to the latest data from regional authorities. The regional president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, described the situation as "the worst fire in the history of the Community of Madrid."
The affected localities under evacuation orders are Aldea del Fresno, Chapinería, Colmenar del Arroyo, Navas del Rey, Pelayos de la Presa, Villa del Prado, San Martín de Valdeiglesias (partially), Fresnedillas de la Oliva, Robledo de Chavela, Zarzalejo, and Navalagamella. In total, nearly 30,000 people have been evacuated, while another 10,000 remain confined in their homes or in reception points set up by the municipalities.
The fire, which originated on Thursday in the town of Burgohondo in Ávila, has spread to the Community of Madrid, fueled by strong gusts of wind and high temperatures. The flames are less than 50 kilometers from Puerta del Sol, causing great alarm among the population of the capital and the municipalities in the southwest.
Request for national emergency and European aid
President Ayuso requested the declaration of a national emergency on Thursday night to mobilize all state resources. However, the government delegate in Madrid, Francisco Martín Aguirre, initially rejected the request and demanded "to explain and justify" it. Hours later, the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, approved the measure and activated the European response mechanism.
The European Union has mobilized four fixed-wing aerial resources: two Canadair CL-415 planes provided by Greece and two from Italy. They are expected to arrive throughout Saturday to reinforce the operation, which already involves more than 500 personnel from the Military Emergency Unit (UME), firefighters from the Community of Madrid, and forestry brigades.
The fire has already ravaged more than 12,000 hectares in both provinces, according to estimates from the regional government. The flames are advancing through the ecological corridor of the Alberche River and threaten the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park.
One arrested for the fire
The Civil Guard, through the Nature Protection Service (SEPRONA) of Ávila, has arrested one person as the alleged responsible for the fire that originated in Burgohondo. Another person is under investigation. According to initial inquiries, both are believed to have used heavy machinery in a prohibited area, which may have caused the sparks that ignited the fire.
Authorities recommend that residents of the evacuated areas do not return to their homes until further notice and that they follow the instructions of emergency services. Reception points have been set up in sports halls and civic centers in municipalities such as Móstoles, Alcorcón, and Navalcarnero.
The night of Friday is expected to be critical, with wind gusts of up to 50 km/h and temperatures not dropping below 25 degrees. Firefighting teams are working against the clock to contain the advance of the flames before the wind intensifies at dawn.
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