The Community of Madrid continues to battle a forest fire that has already burned 56,500 hectares and affected 56,500 people. Nighttime operations have managed to reduce the threat, but the fire remains uncontrolled.
The forest fires that have ravaged the Community of Madrid for several days have already burned 56,500 hectares, according to the latest data provided by regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso on Tuesday. The number of affected individuals has risen to 56,500, although during the day, 24,000 evacuees have been able to return home, and the confinement of another 20,000 has been lifted.
Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska has assured that in the last 24 hours, “there has been no advancement” of the fire, thanks to the effectiveness of nighttime operations. However, weather conditions are expected to worsen with the arrival of a new heatwave starting Wednesday, which could reignite active fronts.
The main challenge remains to prevent the definitive merging of the large fronts in Madrid and Ávila, which, according to Marlaska, have interconnected at times but continue to be “two different fires.” The Ávila fire is already the largest in Spain's history by area, with 50,000 hectares burned.
In the province of Ávila, the fire has affected around 40,000 people, with the most affected locality being the Valle del Tiétar. On Tuesday, five municipalities were able to return home, and two others have exited confinement. In Toledo, the favourable evolution has allowed all residents of the eleven evacuated municipalities to be rehoused.
In the Community of Madrid, the firefighting operation has involved the collaboration of the Military Emergency Unit (UME), Civil Protection, firefighters from across the region, and personnel from other autonomous communities and European countries. The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, has confirmed that the state operation has direct assistance from more than ten communities.
Additionally, Spain has activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism, which has allowed the incorporation of 176 personnel, 41 vehicles, and four Canadair aircraft from Greece, Italy, and Portugal. The Turkish government has also announced the imminent dispatch of two specialized firefighting aircraft.
The Secretary General of Civil Protection, Virginia Barcones, has described the situation as “unprecedented” and emphasized that the absolute priority is to “safeguard lives and protect urban areas.” The fire has exceeded regional forecasts, although Castilla-La Mancha has already been able to lower its alert to Level 2.
In the criminal sphere, the Civil Guard has arrested one person and is investigating another as suspected perpetrators of the fire's origin in Burgohondo (Ávila), due to the use of prohibited machinery. The Junta of Castilla y León will act as a private prosecution. The fire in Castellón, which has burned 10,000 hectares, is also being investigated as intentional.
In the coming days, a tightening of weather conditions is expected with the heatwave, which necessitates maintaining the highest alert. Firefighting teams continue to work tirelessly to prevent the fronts from reactivating and to protect populations still under threat.
Residents of the affected areas can consult the information points set up by local authorities and follow the instructions from Civil Protection to stay informed about the status of evacuations and rehousing.
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