The 112 emergency service of the Community of Madrid evacuated residents of Cenicientos to Majadahonda this Saturday, but the Town Hall did not disseminate information about reception points. Residents of Majadahonda complain that the Town Hall only informed about the cancellation of the summer cinema.
The emergency operation due to the forest fire in the Sierra Oeste of the Community of Madrid forced the evacuation of the entire population of Cenicientos on Saturday, July 25. The 112 service activated the ES-Alert system and mobilised five intercity buses from the Regional Transport Consortium to transport those affected to Majadahonda. However, the arrival of the evacuees was met with a lack of official information from the Town Hall of the receiving locality.
Residents of Majadahonda, upon learning of the news through the 112 alert, tried to obtain details on where they could offer help or how the reception was being organised. The Town Hall's social media, however, continued to post content unrelated to the emergency. On Instagram, at 8:00 AM on Sunday, July 26, the last post was promoting the summer cinema: "Majadahonda: Last chance with the 'Cinema under the Stars' cycle. Saturday, July 25: 'The Flash' (2023), directed by Andy Muschietti. Colón Park. Recommended for ages 12 and up. Free access."
Several citizens expressed their discontent in the comments. "Hello! Is it still on for today despite the air quality? Some neighbours have asked me," wrote one user. Another directly addressed the mayor, Lola Moreno: "Any information from our area?" Complaints followed: "Hello, any communication from the Town Hall regarding air quality? With the smoke in Majadahonda... Very little seriousness in everything"; "How bad is it to hire an agency that schedules Instagram posts without considering the real situation?"; "Delete it, we have the smoke cloud from the fires above us! Think about the health of the residents of Majadahonda! The other nearby towns have cancelled everything."
Under citizen pressure, the Majadahonda Town Hall finally reacted on Twitter (now X) to announce the cancellation of the summer cinema. The statement, also reported by local press, stated: "The Town Halls of Majadahonda and Pozuelo de Alarcón suspend outdoor cinema activities due to the worsening air quality from the intense smoke resulting from the fire affecting the Sierra Oeste of the Community of Madrid. In Majadahonda, the screening scheduled for Saturday, July 25 at 10:00 PM in Colón Park has been cancelled due to the emergency situation caused by the fires. In Pozuelo de Alarcón, the summer cinema session planned for Sunday, July 26 at 10:00 PM in the El Torreón Auditorium has been suspended."
However, residents believe that the information arrived too late and was insufficient. "They evacuate us from Cenicientos to Majadahonda, having Escalona and Maqueda super close (and out of danger, there is not a tree). I am heading to Getafe but I don’t understand this distribution, I suppose it’s a lack of organisation with Castilla-La Mancha," declared Paula M., a mathematician, teacher, businesswoman, and mother of three, who resides in Majadahonda. Her testimony reflects the confusion generated by the lack of a clear reception plan.
Meanwhile, in the neighbouring municipalities of Las Rozas and Pozuelo de Alarcón, reception centres for evacuees were set up, according to several residents who went there after receiving no response in Majadahonda. The absence of an official information point in the locality receiving the affected generated criticism towards the Town Hall's management, which has not explained why a coordinated reception device was not activated.
The fire in the Sierra Oeste remains active and the air quality in the area continues to be poor. Residents of Majadahonda are demanding that the Town Hall prioritise useful information for the population and evacuees over cultural programming in emergency situations. So far, the Town Hall has not commented on the complaints nor detailed whether a protocol will be established for future crises.
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