The Community of Madrid is facing what the regional president has described as the "worst fire in its history." The regional government has set as its main objective "to save lives," has activated new evacuations in residences in Navas de Rey and Cadalso de los Vidrios, and has demanded that everyone work "together" so that the region recovers "as soon as possible."
From the advanced command post in Cenicientos, Isabel Díaz Ayuso has detailed that four roads remain closed and that specific monitoring is being carried out for 1,200 elderly people.
"We are following minute by minute how all the people there are doing," she has pointed out. Residences in Chapinería and Colmenar de Arroyo have also been evacuated, and nine health centers have been closed. However, attention in the hospitals of the Community has been reinforced in case it is necessary to care for more patients.
According to the latest data from Emergencias 112 Comunidad de Madrid, the National Center for Emergency Monitoring and Coordination has sent an ES-Alert to the neighbors of Chapinería, Navas del Rey, and Colmenar del Arroyo ordering their evacuation, which adds to the one already decreed in Aldea del Fresno and Villa del Prado. In addition, confinement has been requested for San Martín de Valdeiglesias and Pelayos de la Presa, urging the population to head to the interior of the urban area.
To accommodate the evacuees, reception points have been set up in Navalcarnero, Móstoles, Alcorcón, Leganés, Brunete, Villanueva de la Cañada, Villaviciosa de Odón, and Las Rozas. Thus, the inhabitants of Chapinería must move to the sports center (C/ León, 59) and the Miguel Delibes center (C/ Torrelaguna) in Villaviciosa de Odón; to the Santiago Apostos sports center in Villanueva de la Cañada and to the Aniceto Marines Cultural Center (C/ Campo, 21) in Brunete.
Residents of Colmenar del Arroyo must go to the La Marazuela sports center (C/ Acanto, 8) in Las Rozas de Madrid; while those from Navas del Rey must head to the La Cantera industrial estate (C/ Arquitectura) in Leganés and to the Sector 3 sports center in Getafe (C/ Alhóndiga).
Díaz Ayuso has announced that the regional government will launch a specific support line for the affected municipalities and towns, in order to facilitate their recovery. She has insisted that the fires remain active and that there is "an unprecedented situation" caused by a "perfect storm" of high temperatures and constant wind.
"It only reminds me of pandemic-like situations, so it hurts a lot, and it also hurts a lot because this is a beautiful area that will take time to recover," lamented the president, who has requested support for the mayors of the affected municipalities.
She specified that the fire has already burned 6,000 hectares, a very high figure in a community with a high density of housing, something she has defined as "a catastrophe," with 19,000 displaced people. In the urbanization of El Encinar del Arberche, 43 houses have been completely destroyed and more than 200 have been damaged.
Unprecedented emergency and risk of merging with the Ávila fire
"For now, we are in an unprecedented situation because the fires have already merged, and that is something that usually never happens. And therefore, it is now moving rapidly through the Community of Madrid towards Colmenar del Arroyo. The wind is not helping us, quite the opposite, and with unbearable temperatures, all together, it is making the evolution not positive for now. While we are reinforcing resources and working tirelessly," she emphasized, thanking the work of the emergency teams.
She hopes that the fire "ends soon" and that, at least, lives "are safe." "And from there, continue working to recover this wonderful area in the southeast of the Community of Madrid as soon as possible," added the head of the regional government.
One of the points that most concerns the authorities is the possibility that this large fire ends up merging with the one in Ávila, which affects the municipalities of Burgohondo, Navaluenga, and El Tiemblo. "For now, it continues to evolve rapidly and is already brushing against Madrid," she indicated, while warning that the next two hours will be crucial to prevent both fronts from merging, something that would represent an "unusual and catastrophic" situation.