Lorraine Williamson
A new wildfire in the Sierra Oeste of Madrid has forced the evacuation of several residential areas in Aldea del Fresno, with the Unidad Militar de Emergencias (UME) deployed as firefighters battle difficult conditions.
The fire broke out on Wednesday afternoon near kilometre 52 of the M-510. The Community of Madrid has activated Operational Situation 2 of its INFOMA wildfire emergency plan.
Aldea del Fresno and neighbouring Villamantilla were initially placed under confinement orders as the fire advanced through the area. By early evening, the situation had changed again, with residents evacuated from the Palomeque, Manga de la Pedrera and Carbajo urbanisations, along with several homes in María Elena.
Villamantilla is no longer under a general confinement order, although residents have been told not to travel towards Aldea del Fresno while the emergency remains active.
Strong winds complicate firefighting effort
The latest emergency-service information says 22 ground units and nine aircraft are involved in the firefighting operation.
The UME has also sent personnel from its base at Torrejón de Ardoz to reinforce the regional response. Madrid’s official emergency page confirms both the activation of Operational Situation 2 and the mobilisation of the military emergency unit.
Fire crews described conditions during the afternoon as particularly difficult because of strong wind gusts, which accelerated the fire’s advance and increased its intensity. By shortly after 6pm, however, crews reported that firefighting resources were beginning to attack the flames more effectively, although the weather was expected to remain decisive during the evening.
No official estimate of the area burned has yet been released, and the cause of the fire remains unknown.
Roads closed and bus service suspended
The emergency has also caused significant disruption to local transport.
The M-510 has been closed between kilometres 50 and 54, while the M-507 is closed between kilometres 9.5 and 17 in the affected direction. Bus route 548, which links Madrid with Aldea del Fresno and Villamantilla, has also been temporarily suspended.
Authorities are urging people to avoid travelling into the affected area, stay away from nearby reservoirs and recreational areas, and follow instructions from emergency and security services.
Those considered particularly vulnerable have also been advised to avoid strenuous outdoor activity because of smoke and poor air quality.
New fire hits area devastated in July
The latest emergency comes less than a month after the Sierra Oeste was devastated by a much larger series of fires.
Aldea del Fresno was among the municipalities evacuated during the July emergency, when fires across western Madrid, Toledo and Ávila caused widespread destruction and forced tens of thousands of people from their homes.
The Community of Madrid’s emergency service says Wednesday’s fire is not believed to be connected to the July fires, which remain under surveillance in some areas despite no longer posing the same immediate threat.
For now, the priority is protecting the residential areas closest to the flames and preventing the fire from advancing further as crews continue working into Wednesday evening.