The fire tightens Madrid and Ávila with new confinements in the face of a "very aggressive" front

The national emergency due to the fires in Madrid, Ávila, and Toledo entered a decisive phase on Monday night. The Ministry of Interior has sent alerts to residents of Santa María de la Alameda, in the Community of Madrid, and Las Navas del Marqués, in Ávila, to order their confinement due to the evolution of the flames.

The National Emergency Center has also sent a new alert to Zarzalejo to remind that the evacuation order remains in effect. The measures were communicated shortly after 8:00 p.m. and expand the number of municipalities affected by evacuations and confinements on both sides of the autonomous border.

The latest available balance before these new orders placed the number of people evacuated or confined in Madrid, Ávila, and Toledo at 91,149. The fires have already affected some 77,000 hectares across the three territories, of which approximately 25,000 correspond to the Sierra Oeste of Madrid and nearly 50,000 to the large fire in Ávila.

The front advances towards the north of the San Juan reservoir

The main concern in Madrid is to the north of the San Juan reservoir, where a "very aggressive" front is advancing along the Cofio riverbed towards Valdemaqueda. The nearly 900 residents of this municipality have been evacuated during the day and mainly transferred to Boadilla del Monte.

The Government delegate in Madrid, Francisco Martín, explained that the operation is concentrating a good part of its efforts in that area. Reactivations have also been registered in Villa del Prado, where teams maintain continuous surveillance over the urbanizations and nearby population centers.

"We are making every possible effort to contain that front there, which is very aggressive," Martín said. The delegate defined this Monday and Tuesday as an "opportunity window" to contain the fire before the strong meteorological worsening expected from Wednesday.

The 112 Emergency service of the Community of Madrid has confirmed that the confinement of Santa María de la Alameda responds directly to the evolution of the fire in the region. The alert forces residents to remain in their homes and follow the instructions communicated by the emergency services.

Traffic cuts continue to affect a large part of the Sierra Oeste. Thirteen roads remain closed in the Community of Madrid, including sections of the M-501, M-507, M-512, M-521, and M-541. In Ávila, circulation is also interrupted on numerous roads, including the CL-505 at the height of Las Navas del Marqués.

Interior paralyzes harvesting with machinery

The Minister of Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, has signed an order to temporarily suspend harvesting operations using agricultural machinery throughout the Community of Madrid and in the provinces of Ávila and Toledo. The prohibition will remain active as long as the emergency of national interest continues.

The Government considers that the use of machinery under these conditions represents an added risk due to high temperatures, dry terrain, and low humidity. The measure is adopted under the National Civil Protection System Law, which allows issuing operational instructions for several territories during a national emergency.

Castilla y León has also activated a regional alert for meteorological fire risk from this Tuesday until Friday, July 31. It is forbidden to light fires or use barbecues in the mountains, recreational areas, and camping sites, while pyrotechnics and tools capable of generating sparks are restricted.

The Junta has also limited between 1:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. the use of certain agricultural and forestry machinery linked to harvesting, baling, brush cutters, and processors. In the province of Ávila, the complete suspension ordered by the Interior throughout the emergency will prevail.

A large operation works through the night

The Ministry for Ecological Transition maintains 39 aerial and ground resources deployed to support the autonomous communities. The operation includes 12 forest fire brigades, four helicopters, five ground-loading planes, 12 amphibious aircraft, and three coordination planes.

A mobile analysis and planning unit and two evaluation and advisory teams are also working. The operation joins the UME, regional firefighters, forest brigades, the Civil Guard, the National Police, local police, Civil Protection, and resources displaced from other communities.

The Community of Madrid has opened two new reception points in Boadilla del Monte and Collado Villalba. The network already has 21 facilities spread across 18 municipalities and has served 2,701 displaced people, according to the latest data from the regional government.

Assistance has also reached livestock farms. The Community has distributed 75,000 kilos of fodder in Pelayos de la Presa and Colmenar del Arroyo as part of the announced plan to deliver 300 tons of food and ten water tanks to affected ranchers.

The heatwave threatens to complicate extinction efforts

AEMET has confirmed that a new heatwave will begin on Wednesday, July 29, and will last, at least, until Sunday, August 2. The risk of fire will increase to extreme values due to high temperatures, south-component wind, and a generalized drop in humidity.

The Minister for Ecological Transition, Sara Aagesen, has estimated more than 170,000 hectares affected by forest fires in Spain since the beginning of the year. The area is six times that recorded during the same period in 2025.

In Ávila, smoke from fires in the south of the province and east of Madrid has reached the capital. Health authorities recommend closing doors and windows, limiting outdoor activities, and using an FFP2 mask when it is necessary to go out, especially among the elderly, children, pregnant women, and patients with cardiorespiratory diseases.

Extinction teams will continue working throughout the night on the Cofio river front, the reactivations of Villa del Prado and the active points of Mijares and Casillas. Santa María de la Alameda and Las Navas del Marqués must remain confined, while Zarzalejo and Valdemaqueda remain evacuated until further notice.