Key fire data
- Evacuated in Madrid: 29,488 people in 12 localities (Chapinería, Navas del Rey, Colmenar del Arroyo, Fresnedillas de la Oliva, Robledo de Chavela, Navalagamella, Aldea del Fresno, Zarzalejo, the hamlet of Peralejo, Rozas de Puerto Real, Cadalso de los Vidrios and Cenicientos)
- Evacuated in Ávila: 32,000 people in 11 towns (Sotillo de la Adrada, Navahondilla, Casillas, Santa María del Tiétar, La Adrada, Piedralaves, Casavieja, Burgohondo, Hoyo de Pinares, Villanueva de Ávila and the La Atalaya urbanization, in El Tiemblo)
- Evacuated in Castellón: 16,000 people in three neighborhoods of Vall d’Uixò and two of Betxí (the rest of the population of these municipalities is confined), in addition to the towns of Vilavella, Artana, Eslida, Tales, Artesa (hamlet of Onda), Aín, Alcudia de Veo, Alfondeguilla, Sueras, Torralba, Villamalur, Fuentes de Ayódar and Chóvar.
- Confined in Madrid: approximately 21,132 people (San Martín de Valdeiglesias, Valdemaqueda, Villa del Prado and Pelayos de la Presa)
- Confined Ávila: more than 8,000 people (Navaluenga, Burgohondo and Cebreros)
- Hectares burned: approximately 24,000 in Madrid, 21,000 in Ávila
- Towns evacuated in Toledo: La Iglesuela del Tiétar, Sartajada, Almendral de la Cañada, Buenaventura, Navamorcuende, Real de San Vicente, Hinojosa de San Vicente, Castillo de Bayuela, Garciotum, Nuñogómez, Pelahustán (number of evacuated people not available)
On a tragic Saturday due to the fires in Spain, more than 115,000 people have been evacuated and confined so far by the fires that have burned more than 45,000 hectares in the community of Madrid and Ávila, and by the fire affecting Vall d’Uixò, in Castellón.
The vast majority of those affected, about 100,000, are residents of towns in Madrid, Ávila and Toledo, while the other 15,000 are from Castellón.
These are the figures from the last day, which has not been very positive, admitted the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, due to “absolutely difficult” meteorological conditions in Ávila and Madrid, which are the most critical points at the moment, and whose advance towards Toledo has motivated the inclusion of this province within the national emergency under which the other two already were.
The mayor of Cenicientos expresses “hope” that residents can “return home soon”
The mayor of Cenicientos (Madrid), Jerónimo López, has expressed “hope” that the active fire in the western Madrid mountains, which forced the evacuation of the municipality this Saturday, will not worsen and that the displaced residents can “return home soon”.
He stated this in declarations to Televisión Española (TVE) reported by Europa Press, in which he explained that the municipal government’s “priority” is to secure an entry route so that livestock farmers can feed the cattle in the town, where the first Advanced Command Post was located, which had to be evacuated and re-established in Navalcarnero.
Precisely, it was the Government delegate, Francisco Martín, who had to interrupt the press conference of the regional president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, to announce the immediate evacuation of Cenicientos.
Pedro Sánchez: “Complex hours remain after a very positive night”
Pedro Sánchez has appeared from the advanced command post in Navaluenga to update the situation of the fires devastating Ávila and the western mountains of Madrid. The president, after a few words from Mañueco, expressed his gratitude to the media for fighting against “hoaxes and fake news” and reported that “complex hours remain after a very positive night” and that “we have to wait to see how today unfolds”.
The mayor of La Vall d’Uixó (Castellón): “It has been the worst night in our history”
The mayor of La Vall d’Uixó (Castellón), Tania Baños, has acknowledged that the night has been “the worst in the history” of this municipality due to the forest fire that has been devastating part of the area since this Saturday and has affected the Serra d’Espadà, Europa Press reports.
“All those evacuated people will continue for now unable to return for safety, prevention, and following the orders of the firefighters. Last night was the worst night in our history, but with all the devices that were set up to border the city, I believe we managed to prevent the fire from reaching the homes and, therefore, we achieved the objective despite the complicated circumstances of the night,” the mayor explains in a message on social media.
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Ground resources combat the Pinos del Valle (Granada) fire for its control
Ground resources from Andalusia’s fire extinguishing service, Infoca, are fighting this Sunday to control the forest fire declared yesterday, Saturday, in an area of Pinos del Valle (Granada) near the Béznar reservoir, which is already stabilized.
According to Infoca, which informed EFE, 70 ground personnel and eight fire engines are deployed at the site, from which aerial resources have already been withdrawn.
The fire, which forced the confinement of Pinos del Valle, with just over 600 inhabitants, and the evacuation of a hundred people from a camp, 73 of them minors, was stabilized around 8:00 PM after devastating about 200 hectares.
All restrictions due to the La Mierla fire are lifted and all residents can return home
The Government of Castilla-La Mancha lifts all restrictions due to the La Mierla (Guadalajara) fire and all residents will be able to return to their homes, as announced by the regional president, Emiliano García-Page, in a video sent to the media.
“Although we will still be pending to complete the total extinction of the La Mierla fire, today we are going to order the return of all those who wish to their homes, to their population centers, and lift the confinements,” García-Page noted.
According to him, this is a “truly optimistic and hopeful measure at the moment we are experiencing throughout Spain.”
Two intentional fires extinguished in Zamora and their relation to other fires investigated
Firefighters from the Zamora City Council extinguished two fires last night, which were intentionally caused, and their relation to other fires that have occurred in recent weeks in other parts of the city is now being investigated, according to the Department of Citizen Protection.
The two fires, apparently, were started by the same person, in a container and an abandoned house on the outskirts of the city.
The latest fires in which Zamora capital firefighters had to intervene occurred at 8:42 PM and 10:11 PM on Saturday, both on the Almaraz road, ZA-P-2223, in the municipality of Zamora.
Infoex declares the Cuacos de Yuste (Cáceres) fire stabilized
Extremadura’s Forest Fire Fighting Plan (Infoex Plan) has declared the fire in Cuacos de Yuste (Cáceres) stabilized.
It was on Saturday night when Infoex reported that there were no longer active fronts causing the fire to advance, so the level 1 danger alert, which had been declared due to possible fire damage to isolated buildings, was also deactivated.
This fire forced, according to sources from the Civil Guard, the evacuation of a camp with 16 minors located near the Monastery of Yuste.
The Community of Madrid maintains 15 reception points to assist 2,468 people evacuated due to the fire
The Community of Madrid maintains a total of 15 active reception points to assist people evacuated due to the large forest fire affecting the Sierra Oeste, where 2,468 people are currently receiving assistance, as reported by the regional government in a statement.
The latest resource was incorporated this Saturday in Sevilla la Nueva, where a hundred evacuees are being attended to. In total, the facilities have been set up in coordination with the city councils and are distributed among Móstoles (400 people), Las Rozas (286), Alcalá de Henares (250), Villaviciosa de Odón (227), Villamanta (220), Alcobendas (200), Leganés (171), Brunete (153), Getafe (150), Alcorcón (130), Sevilla la Nueva (100), Villanueva de la Cañada (75), Villamantilla (60), Navalcarnero (25) and Villanueva de Perales (21).
Most of these reception points have been set up in large sports centers, adapted as temporary accommodations for people who have been forced to leave their homes due to the fire.
King Felipe VI visits displaced people from the Madrid fire in Villamanta this morning
King Felipe VI visits this Sunday the people displaced by the fire in the Sierra Oeste of Madrid, housed in the Villamanta sports center (Madrid), Efe reports.
Sources from the Community of Madrid have reported that the king will attend, accompanied by the regional president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, at 12:30 PM to this Madrid town, where 220 people evacuated due to the fire have spent the night.
The Community of Madrid reported last night that it maintains 15 reception points for the fire, where 2,468 people are being attended to, 220 of whom are in Villamanta.
Emergency services attend to a fire in Molina de Segura (Murcia)
Emergency services have intervened in a forest fire in the Rambla de Las Monjas, in the area known as Avenida Casa Ros, in the municipality of Molina de Segura, according to sources from the Emergency Coordination Center of the Region of Murcia, Europa Press reports.
The single emergency phone number received numerous calls around 11:56 AM on Saturday, alerting of a fire in which personnel from the Infomur Plan for fighting forest fires intervened.
Initially, the Local Police arrived and requested the presence of fire extinguishing personnel upon verifying that the fire was growing rapidly and affecting an area of plots and a dry riverbed near homes. Due to the proximity to buildings and the spectacular nature of the smoke and flames, numerous alerts were registered by citizens.
NASA confirms its station in Madrid has not suffered “significant” structural damage
NASA has confirmed that its station located in the town of Robledo de Chavela (Madrid) has not suffered “significant” structural damage to its antennas or buildings due to the fire affecting the area and has thanked the Government and emergency services for their “tireless efforts” to protect the facility under “extremely challenging” conditions, Efe reports.
An initial on-site inspection by the emergency response team of NASA’s Madrid Deep Space Communications Complex (MDSCC) found damage to the pavement and surrounding vegetation but no structural damage to the facility, which was evacuated last Friday by security forces and where a hundred workers were located.
NASA explains in a statement that it will continue inspections “as safety procedures allow” given a situation that may continue to change while the fire remains uncontrolled and emphasizes that the safety of its personnel remains the top priority of the American agency.
The UME assures that the fire between Ávila and Madrid is “certainly” contained
Lieutenant Colonel Alfonso Arribas, head of the First Emergency Intervention Battalion of the Military Emergency Unit (UME), assured this Sunday that the work carried out during the night has allowed “considerable” progress in stabilizing the large fire affecting Ávila and Madrid, although “some active fronts” still remain on which efforts will be concentrated during the day.
In an interview on RTVE, reported by Europa Press, Arribas explained that, after a “quite unstable” Saturday afternoon, which forced the recommendation of evacuations in the south of Ávila province and the north of Toledo, “the entire front is contained,” although he specified that there are “certain parts” that remain out of control.
“Considerable progress has been made in the work carried out throughout the perimeter. Right now we could say that the entire front is certainly contained. There are only some active fronts where work is being done, and today we hope that conditions will allow us to work in those areas that are indeed out of control. But it is not the entire perimeter at all,” Arribas explained.
Fire declared this Thursday in Retuerta del Bullaque (Ciudad Real) extinguished
After midnight, Castilla-La Mancha’s forest fire prevention and extinguishing system declared the fire in Retuerta del Bullaque (Ciudad Real) extinguished, Europa Press reports. The flames were detected last Thursday at 12:54 PM by a fixed lookout and were brought under control this Saturday at 2:03 PM.
A fire that forced the confinement of the town of Marjaliza (Toledo) and in which 99 resources and 429 people have worked, according to the Forest Fire Information System (Fidias) of the Ministry of Sustainable Development.
Aerial resources rejoin a Vall d’Uixò (Castellón) fire still out of control
Aerial resources have rejoined this morning the extinguishing efforts of the forest fire declared this Saturday in the municipality of La Vall d’Uixò (Castellón), a fire that remains out of control, with a perimeter of 21 kilometers and which has so far left more than 16,000 people from about 15 municipalities evacuated, Efe reports.
Ground resources from the Provincial Firefighters Consortium of Castellón, Generalitat forest firefighters, Castellón City Council, and the Military Emergency Unit (UME) have remained on the ground all night to try to contain flames fueled by the heat recorded in the area these days and the wind, as noted by the Provincial Consortium.
According to this firefighters’ consortium, they have been “working intensely all night in the defense of various urbanizations,” and in the early hours, aerial resources have already begun to join to face “a day of much work ahead.”
Forest fire in Cerro Muriano (Córdoba) controlled
The forest fire that broke out on Friday in Cerro Muriano, Córdoba, has been brought under control at 8:00 AM this Sunday, according to Andalusia’s fire extinguishing service, Infoca.
The fire was already stabilized on Saturday afternoon, around 8:00 PM, which allowed the Infoca Plan emergency to be lowered to operational situation 0 and the 274 evacuated people to return to their homes.
This fire has covered about 200 hectares, but a large part of them have not burned. No houses have been affected either, according to the vice president and minister of Presidency, Health and Emergencies, Antonio Sanz.
Efforts for the Ávila fire, focused at night on defending evacuated towns
Efforts to extinguish the fire that remains active in the province of Ávila focused during last night on defending the municipalities evacuated on Saturday, sources from the Government Delegation in Castilla y León informed EFE.
The fire continued to advance during the night hours, though without covering much more ground, these sources specified.
The fire in the Ávila province has burned, so far, at least between 13,000 and 15,000 hectares, according to data from the Ministry of the Interior.
Escalona (Toledo) hosts residents evacuated from other municipalities due to forest fires in its sports center
Escalona (Toledo) has hosted more than 80 people evacuated from other municipalities due to forest fires in Madrid, Ávila and Toledo in its sports hall. This Toledo town is following the situation “with great caution” and “extraordinary attention,” Europa Press reports.
Through social media, the Escalona City Council reminds that since yesterday afternoon, the State has also decreed a single command (level 3) on the Toledo province front, so the State’s operational director is the one who makes decisions related to Escalona as well.
Regarding air quality, the council assures that “there is no official decision” affecting Escalona, but they continue to “strongly recommend” using “common sense” regarding air pollution, which varies in quality depending on the wind. Vulnerable groups (small children, the elderly, people with respiratory problems) should stay home if possible; if they must go out, they should use a mask. The rest of the population is advised to avoid intense physical exercise.
Sánchez will visit the area affected by the Ávila fires this Sunday
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, will travel this Sunday to the area affected by the forest fires in Ávila, as indicated by Moncloa in a statement reported by Europa Press.
The head of the Executive, accompanied by the president of the Junta de Castilla y León, Alfonso Fernández Mañueco, the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, and the Government delegate in the community, Nicanor Sen, will go at ten in the morning to the advanced command post located in Navaluenga, where he will meet with the teams coordinating the emergency.
Subsequently, he will make an institutional statement to the media.
Situation of roads affected by forest fires in the Community of Madrid
-M-507, between kilometers 28.5 and 36, between Aldea del Fresno and Villa del Prado: closed in both directions.
-M-540, between kilometers 1 and 6.9, from Villa del Prado to the border with the province of Toledo: closed in both directions.
-M-501, between kilometers 40 and 62.4, between Navas del Rey and San Martín de Valdeiglesias: closed in both directions.
-M-541, between kilometers 0 and 6.4, between Pelayos de la Presa and San Martín de Valdeiglesias: closed in both directions.
-M-512, between kilometers 10.5 and 22, from Robledo de Chavela to the junction with the M-501: closed in both directions.
-M-512, between kilometers 0 and 10.5, in Santa María de la Alameda: closed in ascending direction.
-M-531, between kilometers 0 and 8, between Colmenar del Arroyo and Robledo de Chavela: closed in both directions.
-M-539, between kilometers 0 and 6, between Robledo de Chavela and Valdemaqueda: closed in both directions.
-M-533, from kilometer 0, in Peralejo, from the M-600 roundabout: closed in ascending direction.
-M-521, between kilometers 23 and 29, between Fresnedillas de la Oliva and Robledo de Chavela: closed in descending direction.
-M-855, from kilometer 0, in Navas del Rey, from the M-501 roundabout: closed in ascending direction.
-M-537, between kilometers 0 and 0.2, in Robledo de Chavela: closed in both directions.
-M-510, between Valdemorillo and Chapinería: closed from kilometer 20 in ascending direction and from Chapinería in descending direction.
It is recommended to avoid travel through affected areas and to follow emergency service instructions at all times.
Aerial extinguishing efforts resume with more favorable forecast in Madrid and Ávila
With the start of the day and a more favorable weather forecast, aerial extinguishing efforts for the fires resume, due to which nearly 100,000 people have been evacuated and confined in Madrid and Ávila in a fire advancing towards Toledo.
During the night, 50 ground resources have worked to consolidate the efforts made throughout the day despite some incidents caused by the wind, as reported by Emergencias Madrid.
The main focus of the fires in Spain continues to be between the Community of Madrid, Ávila and Toledo, covering a perimeter of over 200 kilometers, affecting some 45,000 hectares, of which 21,000 correspond to the Ávila province, with a perimeter of 112 kilometers.
The Madrid fire remains active and unstabilized
The Government Delegation in Madrid has reported that as of dawn this Sunday, the fire affecting the Sierra Oeste in the region remains active and unstabilized, Efe reports.
The Delegation assures through its social media that the decrease in the fire’s advance during the early morning has allowed the operation to act on the different fronts and reinforce control lines, with absolute priority on protecting the population and threatened urbanizations.
Nevertheless, the fire remains active and unstabilized.
The RFEF makes the City of Football available to those affected by the fires
The residence at the City of Football in Las Rozas (Madrid) will house families affected by the fires in the west of the Community of Madrid and in Castilla y León, as reported by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
“This solidarity initiative is managed in direct coordination with the Las Rozas City Council, an institution that centralizes part of the reception of displaced citizens, as well as with Civil Protection. Families will occupy the rooms of the National Team Residence, facilities regularly used by national teams,” the organization reported.
Furthermore, the RFEF emphasized that “priority will be given to family units in situations of special vulnerability or social emergency.”
The number of people evacuated due to the La Vall d’Uixò (Castellón) fire rises to 16,000
Authorities evacuated nearly a thousand residents from the Texas neighborhood of La Vall d’Uixò this morning as a preventive measure due to the evolution of the fire declared this Saturday in this Castellón municipality, bringing the official number of people evacuated by this fire to over 16,000, Efe reports.
According to the mayor of La Vall, Tania Baños, in several videos on X, facing a “totally uncontrolled fire,” the Advanced Command Post has decided to continue evacuating residents of this town, in this last case, those from Colonia de San Antonio, more commonly known as ‘Texas’.
Similarly, Baños indicated that all evacuees will be moved to “areas where they can remain in complete safety.”
Portugal, Greece, and Italy assist in fires with 176 personnel, 41 vehicles, and 4 Canadairs
Portugal, Greece, and Italy have joined the efforts to extinguish the serious fires in Madrid and Ávila with a deployment comprising 176 personnel, 41 vehicles, and 4 Canadairs, according to data from the Ministry of the Interior. Portugal is the country that will contribute the most personnel to the firefighting operation, with 129 personnel and 41 vehicles, a ground contingent that will begin its work this Sunday after arriving this Saturday night in Navaluenga (Ávila).
According to data provided by the Interior Ministry, the 41 vehicles from Portugal are: 1 bulldozer, 9 command vehicles, 2 light fire engines, 14 heavy fire engines, 5 heavy water tenders, 1 light water tender, a mobile Advanced Command Post (PMA), a UAS vehicle, 4 logistical support vehicles, and 3 Basic Life Support ambulances. Greece also participates from this Sunday in the operation with 33 personnel, two Canadair planes, and one support plane.
The resources offered by Italy in response to the request for help to the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, which were already incorporated this Saturday, consist of 14 personnel and two Canadair planes.
“Good conditions” expected this Sunday
The Government delegate in Madrid, Francisco Martín, assured this Saturday night that “good conditions” are expected on Sunday morning to fight the fires.
According to Martín, these will be “better conditions than we had on Saturday and therefore a wider window to try to contain the fire on both fronts.”
Those evacuated due to the Vall d’Uixò (Castellón) fire are transferred to Onda, Nules, Segorbe, and Moncofa
People who have had to be evacuated from several towns near Vall d’Uixò –where a fire has been declared that is currently “beyond extinguishing capacity”– have been transferred to the Onda Municipal Sports Center, the Nules Municipal Pavilion, the Segorbe Multifunctional Pavilion, and the Moncofa Polyfunctional Building, where the Red Cross is in charge of assisting them, the Generalitat reports, according to Europa Press.
From the Valencian government’s Ministry of Health, psychological support has been made available to those who need it. Similarly, from the Ministry of Social Services, Family and Childhood, dependent people from Artana and Vilavella have been transferred to the Generalitat residence in Burriana.
For its part, the Ministry of Environment, Infrastructure, Territory and Recovery has enabled different areas in Onda, Burriana, les Alqueries, Xilxes and Moncofa to house evacuated domestic animals and livestock.
