Madrid wildfires improve 'little by little' as night crews prevent flames from reaching Valdemaqueda; Ayuso eyes rehousing

Night operations contain flames

The wildfires that have been burning since at least 25 July in the west and northwest of the Madrid region saw a critical night of containment on 27-28 July. More than 400 personnel were deployed, using heavy machinery, ground extinction means, and technical fires to prevent the flames from advancing. Their efforts succeeded in stopping the fire from reaching the municipality of Valdemaqueda, which had been directly threatened by the active fronts. The area around the Cofio river, described by emergency services as the most critical point, saw positive results from the 50 ground units operating there, according to Emergencies 112 Comunidad de Madrid. The government delegation in Madrid confirmed that the night's work had significantly reduced the threat to several localities. On Monday, the operation had involved seven water bombers, four helicopters, and hundreds of ground personnel, concentrating on the most active fronts. Despite the progress, the fire remains active and is not yet under control.

Ayuso: "improving little by little"

Regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso said on Tuesday morning that the situation is improving gradually. In a post on X, she attributed the progress to the fire services.

The impressive work of the fire services means that today we are more optimistic and can consider the rehousing of several municipalities safely.

She also expressed gratitude to all public services and to those affected, acknowledging their enormous effort and resistance. The regional government is now studying the logistics of allowing evacuated residents to return home, though no timeline has been set. Ayuso's statement came after a night of intense work that had contained the most dangerous fronts and prevented the flames from reaching Valdemaqueda.

Evacuations and affected population

The wildfires have affected a total of 98,203 people across the provinces of Ávila, Toledo, and the Community of Madrid, according to the latest update. Of those, 63,152 have been evacuated from their homes and 35,051 have been confined. The large-scale response on Monday included seven water bombers, four helicopters, and hundreds of ground personnel, which helped stabilize the most active fronts. The night shift maintained the deployment of over 400 professionals, building on the gains made during the day. The figures reflect the scale of the emergency, even as conditions improve.

Outlook and remaining risks

Authorities caution that the fire is still not controlled. The government delegation in Madrid warned that conditions remain changeable and a hardening of climatic conditions is expected later on Tuesday. The strategy for the day will focus on monitoring the fire perimeter and cooling hot spots to prevent reactivations. Emergency services have asked the public to follow official recommendations and avoid approaching the affected zones. The improving situation offers a window for rehousing, but the risk of flare-ups persists, especially with rising temperatures forecast.