The Community of Madrid has formally requested the central government to declare Operational Situation 3 of the regional wildfire protection plan (INFOMA) after three simultaneous fires overwhelmed local firefighting resources on Thursday. The blazes, which have already scorched hundreds of hectares, are affecting the regions of Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León, and the Community of Madrid itself, prompting evacuations and confinements in several towns.
The most critical new fire broke out in the municipality of San Martín de Valdeiglesias after a car caught fire on the M-501 highway, quickly spreading into nearby forested areas. Emergency services dispatched 16 aerial and ground units from the Madrid Fire Brigade, forest agents, and a detachment of the Military Emergency Unit (UME). The Ministry for Ecological Transition also provided two amphibious aircraft to support the operation. As a precaution, the López Rumayor nursing home, located near the Carretera de los Pantanos, was placed under confinement, and an ES-Alert message was sent to residents of the San Ramón and Jaracruz housing developments urging them to stay indoors. A separate alert instructed the population of Pelayos de la Presa to move to the town center due to the advancing flames. Shortly afterward, authorities ordered the evacuation of the Jaracruz urbanization in San Martín de Valdeiglesias as the fire spread rapidly toward Pelayos de la Presa.
The first fire, which originated in Almorox (Toledo), has already affected 890 hectares, of which 600 are within the Community of Madrid, having crossed into the municipality of Villa del Prado. At 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, the Madrid 112 Security and Emergency Agency sent a new alert to residents of Villa del Prado, instructing them to remain confined with doors and windows closed until further notice. Many residents had been evacuated during the afternoon on Wednesday and were allowed to return home by 12:45 a.m. the following day, except for approximately 700 residents of the El Encinar del Alberche housing development, where the fire caused the most severe damage. A special task force comprising firefighters, forest agents, the Immediate Logistics Response Team of Civil Protection Volunteers (ERIVE), Madrid Civil Protection, and the Civil Guard has been deployed to assess the number of affected homes and take appropriate action. Around 200 evacuees are being temporarily housed at the Villa del Prado sports center. At least 18 ground units and two command vehicles were dispatched to the area on Thursday, joining the 38 ground and aerial units that had been deployed the previous day. The SUMMA 112 emergency medical service has also been monitoring the situation through a crisis committee.
The fires have caused significant disruptions to road traffic. The M-507 highway toward Navalcarnero is closed between kilometers 27.5 and 36, the M-540 is closed between kilometers 1 and 6.9, and the M-501 is closed between kilometers 53.7 and 59.4. Bus lines 545 and 547 have also been affected. The regional president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, visited the affected areas to express support for the residents. In a statement on social media, she confirmed that the fire was contained but not under control, and warned that the afternoon would be challenging due to strong winds and high temperatures. She expressed relief that no casualties had been reported among residents, though damage assessments for several affected properties are still pending.
The risk of further escalation remains high. The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has placed the Madrid region at the highest of five alert levels for wildfire risk, a status that has been in effect since July 13, with only a brief two-day respite. The critical situation extends beyond Madrid's borders. A new fire in Burgohondo, in the province of Ávila, has already sent smoke plumes into several Madrid municipalities, and the populations of Burgohondo, El Tiemblo, and Navaluenga have been placed under confinement. Authorities advise residents in those areas to contact emergency services only in case of urgent need.