The Government delegate in Madrid, Francisco Martín, has described the request from regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso to declare situation 3 of national interest for the wildfires as a "brief letter with which she has sent a tweet".
The Government delegate in the Community of Madrid, Francisco Martín, has taken aim at regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso for the way she has requested the declaration of operational situation 3 of national interest to tackle the wildfires ravaging the region. In statements to the SER network, Martín asserted that the request was made through a "brief letter with which she has sent a tweet", and urged the regional government to "be responsible" and explain the reasons for its request.
"We are talking about something very serious to resolve it in a three-paragraph letter to be able to send a tweet. This doesn't work like that; we are talking about many lives, a lot of property, and many resources," Martín stated. The delegate has asked the Community of Madrid to clarify whether the request is due to a "technical incapacity, operational incapacity" or if they believe that the evolution of the emergency "will not be able to be controlled by the services of the Community of Madrid".
President Ayuso announced on Thursday via her X account that her government had requested the activation of operational situation 3, a mechanism that allows for the coordination of state resources in large-scale emergencies. In her message, she argued the "seriousness and simultaneity of wildfires in 3 autonomous communities" and the possibility that a large fire could affect Madrid.
Martín defended the actions of the central government, stating that they have been present at the advanced command post and have supported from the very beginning. "Two water bombers were incorporated at the very moment the Community requested them. The UME has reinforced its presence, and the Civil Guard is doing an extraordinary job," he detailed.
Regarding the evolution of the fires, the delegate described a "very complex" situation. "Yesterday we had a fire that started in Almorox and spread through Madrid, and an additional fire has emerged very close in San Martín de Valdeiglesias," he explained. Adverse weather conditions have hindered control of both fires, which have led to evacuations and lockdowns in several municipalities.
The Civil Guard has been working intensively on the evacuations, which already affect "thousands of people" in localities such as San Martín de Valdeiglesias, Pelayos de la Presa, Aldea del Fresno, and Navas del Rey. "There is very intense action from both emergency services and security forces," Martín emphasised.
The exchange of accusations between the central government and the Community of Madrid occurs at a critical moment, with several active fires threatening homes and forcing mass evacuations. Residents of the affected areas are hoping for effective coordination as the flames continue to advance uncontrollably.
You may also like
