Nine Toledo municipalities allowed to return as Tiétar Valley fire front closes to within 200 metres
Residents of nine of the eleven Toledo municipalities evacuated since Saturday due to the Burgohondo wildfire can return home, officials said Monday, as the fire front in the Tiétar Valley is just 200 metres from being fully contained.
Fire status
On Monday morning, the Toledo front of the wildfire that started in Burgohondo (Ávila) was just 200 metres short of being fully contained, according to José Pablo Sabrido, the central government’s delegate in Castilla-La Mancha. The stretch between La Iglesuela del Tiétar and La Adrada was “consolidated and perimetrated” except for that small sector. The fire, however, remains “in no way controlled,” Sabrido cautioned, as officials avoid creating false expectations. The improvement allowed the emergency command to release units from Andalusia and Murcia for other fires, leaving the area covered by Castilla-La Mancha’s Infocam service and the Military Emergency Unit (UME).
We are reasonably satisfied.
Evacuations lifted
By Monday evening, the Integrated Operational Coordination Centre (CECOD) authorized the return of residents to nine of the eleven Toledo municipalities evacuated since Saturday. The towns cleared are Buenaventura, Navamorcuende, El Real de San Vicente, Hinojosa de San Vicente, Castillo de Bayuela, Garciotum, Nuño Gómez, Almedral de la Cañada and Pelahustán. Restrictions remain for La Iglesuela del Tiétar, Sartajada and Almendral de la Cañada, the three closest to the fire front. All road closures were lifted except for the CM-5006 and TO-1358.
Evacuee situation
Around 2,000 people from Toledo and Ávila have been sheltering in Talavera de la Reina, with about 1,300 housed in the city’s fairgrounds. They have been there since Saturday. Talavera’s mayor, José Julián Gregorio, praised the city’s solidarity. One evacuee, David from Santa María del Tiétar, described the scene as “devastating” but expressed hope.
Official reactions
Sabrido stressed that the decision to allow returns was based strictly on safety assessments by the UME and operational command.
What is above all is the safety of people, and we don’t want any risk there.
Castilla-La Mancha president Emiliano García-Page, visiting the forward command post in La Iglesuela, noted that while much land had burned, “human lives and the bulk of the populations are being very protected.” He hinted that more families might be able to return in the coming hours if conditions hold.
- Wildfire breaks out in Burgohondo, Ávila; 11 Toledo municipalities evacuated
- Fire front in Toledo nearly contained, 200 metres left to close
- Return authorized for 9 municipalities; 3 remain evacuated
- New heat wave expected, raising risk of fire rekindling
Next steps
Firefighters are racing to secure the perimeter before a new heat wave arrives on Wednesday, which could rekindle flames. The UME has reinforced the Almorox sector due to a forecast wind shift. Sabrido urged evacuated residents to remain patient and trust the professionals.
