A new heatwave arrives this Wednesday and threatens to reignite the forest fires in the Community of Madrid, which have been active for six days. More than 110,000 people have been evacuated or confined in the affected areas.
The Community of Madrid is preparing for a new heatwave that will arrive this Wednesday and could worsen the situation of the forest fires that have been ravaging the region for six days. The fire, which started in the northwest of the Community of Madrid and has spread towards Ávila and Toledo, has forced the evacuation or confinement of more than 110,000 people across Spain, of which nearly 91,000 are in the three most affected provinces: Madrid, Ávila, and Toledo.
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, has urged citizens to "take extreme precautions" as there are "difficult hours" ahead in the fight against the flames. The Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, has warned that the coming hours will be crucial to contain the fires before the new heatwave arrives on Wednesday, which will hinder firefighting efforts.
According to the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, the forest area affected by fires so far this year amounts to 172,396.10 hectares, almost six times more than the 29,817 recorded during the same period in 2025. In the Community of Madrid, the fire has devastated thousands of hectares of scrubland and forest, especially in the Sierra de Guadarrama area.
Firefighting teams are working tirelessly to control the active fronts. In the early hours of this Monday, the Junta of Castilla y León reported that the fires in Murias de Ponjos and Quintela, in León, had been stabilised, which had reached severity levels 2 and 1 respectively. However, in the Community of Madrid, the fire remains active and the weather forecasts are not favourable.
The fire in Vall d'Uixó, in Castellón, is also a concern for authorities. This fire, which has entered its third day of activity, has burned around 8,500 hectares and forced the evacuation of more than 16,000 people. Authorities hope it can be stabilised "as soon as possible" in the coming days.
In France, President Emmanuel Macron has reported that the fire in Landes is "under control", but that in Gironde it "remains very virulent". The Landes fire has devastated 3,600 hectares and forced the evacuation of 30,000 people, of which 8,000 have already been able to return home. In Gironde, the flames have scorched 42,000 hectares and remain active.
In the province of Huelva, the fire in Lepe has been stabilised after affecting a mass of pine forests and scrubland. The mayor of Lepe, Adolfo Verano, has stated that it has not been necessary to evacuate homes, although the A-5076 motorway has been closed as a precaution.
Looking ahead to the coming days, the priority in the Community of Madrid is to prevent the fire from advancing towards urban areas. Authorities recommend that the population stay informed through official channels and avoid unnecessary travel in the affected areas. On Wednesday, with the arrival of the heatwave, an increase in temperatures is expected that could reactivate latent hotspots.
Residents of evacuated municipalities, such as those in the Sierra de Guadarrama, remain in shelters set up by the Community of Madrid. It is expected that in the coming hours, the evolution of the fire can be assessed and it can be determined if it is safe to return home. Meanwhile, emergency services continue to work on extinguishing the fire and protecting homes.
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