Madrid wildfire recovery: 1,343 evacuees return as €20M cleanup begins

Fire's toll on Sierra Oeste

The wildfire that tore through Madrid's Sierra Oeste region in late July burned 27,000 hectares, leaving a landscape of blackened hills and ash. Residents described the night of July 30 as "apocalypse" and "a real hell" as flames approached their towns. The fire forced the evacuation of 1,343 people from 21 social centers, including 14 elderly residences, two disability centers, four children's homes, and a youth hostel. The regional government also monitored 1,600 dependent people through its advanced teleassistance and home help services.

Evacuees return and social services resume

By Friday, July 31, all 1,343 evacuees had returned to their centers, and the 21 facilities were fully operational again. The last group to come back were residents of the AMAM Picadas intellectual disability center in Aldea del Fresno, who had been temporarily housed at the Grupo 5 Cian Madrid residence. The Family, Youth and Social Affairs ministry, led by Ana Dávila, coordinated the return through a mobile command center that moved from San Martín de Valdeiglesias to Brunete and Navalcarnero. Professionals from the ministry, volunteers from the Official College of Social Work, and Red Cross teams with six vehicles assisted in the transfers.

Economic and emotional impact

Local businesses are struggling. Esperanza, who runs a restaurant, said she had been unable to access her premises for a week.

My restaurant supports 13 people, 13 families. All I want, like everyone in the area, is to work and return to normalcy.

Pilar, manager of a holiday complex, reported cancellations even before the fire was fully extinguished. Residents spoke of the sadness of seeing the reservoir, forests, and animals without water or food. The regional government housed 410 people who lost their homes in hotels; 77 remain there while permanent solutions are arranged.

Government aid and cleanup begins

The Community of Madrid has launched a recovery plan. In Pelayos de la Presa, one of the hardest-hit towns, 20 million euros from the Regional Investment Plan (PIR) have been allocated for cleanup. Workers have installed 60 clean-point containers and are removing dangerous trees, clearing roads, and restoring signage. For the livestock sector, the government has distributed 394,000 kilos of forage and 60,000 liters of water to sustain more than 5,500 animals, with an investment of one million euros. Aid lines, guarantees, and tax benefits include a 100% exemption on water tariffs for a year.

Ayuso visits and calls for support

President Isabel Díaz Ayuso visited Colmenar del Arroyo and Pelayos de la Presa on Sunday, August 2. She stressed that the announced measures "are not promises, they are a reality" and urged citizens to keep visiting the area.

Now more than ever we must support local commerce, restaurants, and shops.

She also thanked police, Guardia Civil, and professionals who cut short their holidays to help. Ayuso expressed a desire to coordinate recovery with the neighboring province of Ávila, saying the affected valleys "belong to all Spaniards." At the Post-Fire Assistance Point (PATI), over 1,100 people have already been attended to.