The fire, declared in a pine forest in Almorox (Toledo), has crossed the regional boundary and threatens several residential areas. The UME has joined the firefighting efforts.
A forest fire declared this Wednesday in a pine forest near the El Romillo urbanisation in Almorox (Toledo) has spread to the Community of Madrid, forcing emergency protocols to be activated in several areas of the region. The fire, which is advancing rapidly through the forest, has led authorities to confine the Madrid municipality of Villa del Prado and evacuate the El Encinar del Alberche urbanisation, one of the residential areas closest to the flames.
The Military Emergency Unit (UME) has joined the firefighting efforts, which already included resources from Castilla-La Mancha and the Community of Madrid. In the province of Toledo, the fire has been declared a level 2 incident, prompting the evacuation of the El Pinar urbanisation and the confinement of the El Romillo urbanisation.
Emergency services in the Community of Madrid have sent an ES-Alert message to residents of Villa del Prado urging them to stay indoors “until further notice,” with doors and windows closed to prevent smoke and particles from entering. This measure responds to the fire's evolution, which, although it originated in Castilla-La Mancha, now threatens the boundary between the two autonomous communities.
Additionally, residents of the Ribera del Alberche and Rincón del Alberche urbanisations, as well as users of a nearby campsite, have been advised to head to the interior of the town of Aldea del Fresno, according to a second ES-Alert message sent by the Madrid 112 Security and Emergency Agency (ASEM112).
The fire technician from Castilla-La Mancha, Alfonso Díaz Nieto, explained that the fire “started from the outset as an urban-forest interface fire,” with “pine forest mass, active crown fire, and several urbanisations that have already been subjected to citizen protection measures, one evacuation and another confinement.” Díaz Nieto added that they are working in collaboration with the Community of Madrid, as the fire is located at the boundary of both autonomous communities.
The Community of Madrid has activated Operational Situation 2 of the Civil Protection Plan for Forest Fires and has deployed 19 ground and aerial units from the Madrid Fire Brigade in the area. Forest firefighters from Infocam are also working, adding a total of 8 ground resources and 27 personnel. The operation is coordinated with the firefighting services of Castilla-La Mancha, aiming to prevent the fire from spreading into Madrid territory and to protect both inhabited areas and the surrounding forest mass.
The M-507 road towards Navalcarnero and the N-403 road towards Toledo remain closed at the intersection of both routes, complicating circulation in the area. Drivers are advised to avoid non-essential travel in the affected area.
The fire, which has broken out in a pine forest with a high fuel load, is advancing rapidly due to adverse weather conditions, with winds hampering firefighting efforts. Emergency teams are working against the clock to control the fire before it penetrates more densely populated areas.
Residents of the affected urbanisations have been relocated to safe points set up by emergency services, while those confined in Villa del Prado remain attentive to the authorities' instructions. It is expected that in the coming hours, the evolution of the fire can be assessed and it will be determined whether it is necessary to expand protective measures.
This new fire adds to the challenging summer campaign in Spain, where high temperatures and drought are favouring the spread of forest fires. Collaboration between autonomous communities and the UME is crucial to minimise damage and protect the population.
