Spain declares national emergency as wildfire forces evacuation of NASA's Madrid deep-space communications centre
Approximately 90 staff fled the Robledo de Chavela facility on 24 July while flames advanced to its perimeter, and over 10,000 residents were displaced from communities west of Madrid. The fire has already consumed 6,000 hectares in the Madrid region alone.
Fire reaches 'critical' stage near Madrid
Multiple blazes that ignited in the provinces of Ávila and Toledo merged into a single large fire on 24 July, sweeping through the Sierra Oeste mountains roughly 50–60 kilometres west of Madrid. Regional officials described the situation as one of "extreme gravity" and said the fire was moving further north than anticipated, driven by wind. On Friday evening, Madrid's government representative Carlos Novillo stated the fire had reached its peak, warning it was now a single massive front complicating the response.
Right now it is clear that the fire is at its peak; it is impossible to extinguish.
Spain's Interior Ministry declared a national state of emergency earlier that day, citing the simultaneous outbreak of multiple fires, adverse weather, and the need to coordinate large-scale resources across public administrations. It is the first time such a declaration has been made for a forest fire under Spain's civil protection legislation.
NASA's deep-space link surrounded
At the centre of the crisis is the Madrid Deep Space Communications Complex in Robledo de Chavela, a station that is part of NASA's global Deep Space Network. The facility houses six large antennas, including one with a 70-metre dish, and maintains contact with interplanetary probes and distant missions. Francisco Martín, the Spanish government's representative for the Madrid region, said the installation was in a "critical" situation.
At this moment, everything possible is being done to protect the antenna installation at Robledo de Chavela, a very important facility that is in a critical situation.
All roughly 90 employees, along with contracted security and support staff, were evacuated during the afternoon and evening of 24 July on the orders of the Civil Guard. By nightfall nobody remained inside the complex to assess whether flames had entered the grounds or damaged buildings, equipment or antennas.
Mass evacuations and emergency response
The fire has forced more than 10,000 people from their homes in the municipalities of Villa del Prado, San Martín de Valdeiglesias, Pelayos de la Presa and Aldea del Fresno. Over 270 emergency personnel, 40 ground units and several contingents of the Military Emergency Unit were deployed. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is scheduled to visit the emergency coordination centre in Cenicientos on Saturday, accompanied by Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska.
- Multiple fires ignite in Villa del Prado, San Martín de Valdeiglesias, Ávila and Toledo, later merging into one large fire. Spain declares a national state of emergency.
- Evacuation of roughly 90 staff from the NASA deep-space communications centre in Robledo de Chavela is completed under Civil Guard orders.
- Regional official Carlos Novillo declares the fire at its peak, stating it is 'impossible to extinguish' as flames move further north.
- Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is scheduled to visit the emergency coordination centre in Cenicientos with the interior minister.
A deadly fire season linked to climate
Nationally, more than 100,000 hectares have burned in Spain so far in 2026, matching the average annual burned area of the last decade. Thirteen people have died, making this one of the deadliest forest fire seasons in recent decades. Scientists attribute the increasingly severe fire seasons across southern Europe to climate change. Abundant spring rainfall produced dense vegetation that then dried out under extreme summer heat, creating fast-burning fuel that has made containment extremely difficult.
Romania's foreign ministry issued a travel warning urging its citizens to avoid the affected zones and to follow instructions from Spanish authorities, providing a list of consular emergency numbers.
