The Madrid and Ávila fire has not advanced for 24 hours and allows Fresnedillas and Zarzalejo to return home

The residents of Fresnedillas de la Oliva and Zarzalejo can return to their homes from 8:30 PM this Tuesday. The Ministry of Interior has lifted the evacuation of both towns after verifying the favorable evolution of the large fire affecting the Sierra Oeste of Madrid and the province of Ávila.

Fernando Grande-Marlaska has confirmed that the fire has not expanded its perimeter during the last 24 hours. "We can say that we are containing the fire," explained the minister, who maintains the same deployment of human and material resources on the ground to consolidate the gained territory.

Ten municipalities in Madrid have already lifted the evacuation

Fresnedillas de la Oliva and Zarzalejo join the eight municipalities in Madrid where the return had begun at 5:00 PM. The residents of Cadalso de los Vidrios, Cenicientos, Navalagamella, Navas del Rey, Rozas de Puerto Real, Aldea del Fresno, Chapinería, and Colmenar del Arroyo have also been able to return this Tuesday.

The de-escalation has also reached five towns in Ávila. Interior has allowed the return to Fresnedilla, Burgohondo, Higuera de las Dueñas, Pedro Bernardo, and the south of Navaluenga, while extinction efforts continue in other parts of the province.

Confinement has also ended in Santa María de la Alameda and Pelayos de la Presa. The urbanizations Mirador de Pelayos and Las Muas remain evacuated. Robledo de Chavela and Valdemaqueda are now the only two municipalities in Madrid that remain completely evacuated, along with several urbanizations in Villa del Prado and San Martín de Valdeiglesias.

The fire remains active

The improvement still does not allow the fire to be declared stabilized. Emergencias 112 of the Community of Madrid has asked the population not to approach the affected areas, both for safety and to facilitate the work of the extinction services.

Aerial means have been able to operate during the day in Mijares and north of the San Juan reservoir, the point that most concerned the device on Monday. Work on the control line between Robledo de Chavela and Cebreros has also stopped the advance of the flames and prevented the appearance of a new risk point.

The situation has also improved in Casillas and Mijares thanks to a strategy supported by drones. The teams will work overnight on these two fronts and in the vicinity of the San Juan reservoir, where there are still hot spots that could reactivate.

The Community of Madrid has begun the progressive reopening of affected roads with the recovery of the M-507. The regional government has also deployed aid points in the first eight municipalities that have lifted the evacuation and has enabled the free phone number 900 102 112 to assist those affected.

The arrival of the fourth heat wave keeps the operation on alert. Temperatures will begin to rise sharply this Wednesday and the decrease in humidity will increase the risk of reproductions, while emergency services try to advance from containment to stabilization of the fire.