19,000 evacuated as merged wildfires become 'worst in history' near Madrid, 6,000 hectares burned

Fire merger and evacuations

On Friday 24 July, two of three wildfires burning west of Madrid merged into a single blaze, which emergency services named "Sierra de l'ouest" on social media platform X. The fires at San Martín de Valdeiglesias and Villa del Prado had already consumed 6,000 hectares, and rescue services had feared such a merger. At least 19,000 people were evacuated or ordered to shelter in place across several municipalities. Four towns, Aldea del Fresno, Chapinería, Navas del Rey and Colmenar de Arroyo, were evacuated, while Villa del Prado, San Martín de Valdeiglesias and Pelayos de la Presa were placed under confinement. No fatalities had been recorded by Friday afternoon, but at least 43 homes were destroyed, according to regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso. She called it the worst fire in the history of the Madrid region, a densely populated area with a high concentration of housing.

For a region like this, with a high concentration of housing and population, it's a catastrophe. We have never experienced anything like this.

Ayuso described the situation as "totally unusual and catastrophic" and evolving "very rapidly". The evacuation of Aldea del Fresno, a town of 3,500 residents 60 km west of Madrid, had begun preventively on Thursday 23 July as flames approached. Residents were moved to a nearby locality. Earlier, other small towns had been evacuated overnight Wednesday to Thursday, but most residents were allowed to return on Thursday after conditions briefly improved. The merger on Friday reversed that progress.

Emergency response

Eighteen firefighter units and members of Spain's Military Emergency Unit (UME) were deployed to the fire near Aldea del Fresno, with several roads cut off by the flames. The European Union announced on Friday the deployment of four water-bomber aircraft to support Spanish firefighting efforts, coordinated through the EU's Emergency Response Coordination Centre. The aircraft add to three planes already sent to France a day earlier.

Wider fire crisis

The Madrid fires are part of a broader wildfire outbreak across Spain, fuelled by a heatwave that has gripped the country for two days. Fires are advancing quickly, especially in desert areas where dry brush accelerates their spread. The largest active fire is in Guadalajara province, about 100 km north of Madrid, which has burned 32,000 hectares since 16 July. According to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), nearly 125,000 hectares have burned in Spain since 1 January 2026. That figure, while severe, remains below the 393,000 hectares consumed in 2025, which was the worst year in the country's recent history.

## Outlook Authorities warned that the merged Sierra de l'ouest fire continues to advance rapidly, driven by high temperatures and abundant dry vegetation. Further evacuations remain possible as firefighting aircraft and ground crews work to contain the blaze. The regional government has not yet indicated when residents might be allowed to return.