The forest fire that wrapped Madrid in a cloud of smoke on Thursday is almost under control, after having devastated more than 3,000 hectares of land and agricultural brushes, the Spanish authorities said this Friday, July 18.
“The fire is now circumscribed, but it is still in the control phase,” the emergency services of the Madrid region announced, stating that the strong bursts of wind planned during the day could “complicate” the work of firefighters.
One hundred firefighters still displayed
One hundred firefighters and soldiers of the Military Emergency Unit (UME) remain deployed in the sector, according to the authorities. This forest fire was launched on Thursday in Mentrida, a city located in the Castille-La-Manché region, 50 kilometers from the Spanish capital. It burned a total of 3,100 hectares of land, according to the president of the Madrid region, Isabel Díaz Ayuso.
Its rapid expansion led to the authorities to confine a neighboring residential area and close a highway section. It caused an impressive cloud of gray and orange smoke, which the wind transported to the sky of Madrid.
Due to the presence in the air of ash waste, the Civil Protection of Madrid recommended on Thursday night the inhabitants to avoid whether it is possible to remain outside, not open the windows or use surgical masks.
More than 25,000 hectares burned in 2025 in Spain
This forest fire occurs, while several regions have suffered a heat wave in the last days that the floors have dried. In Mentrida, to the southwest of Madrid, the thermometer reached 39 ° C on Thursday, according to the Spanish Meteorological Agency (Aemet).
According to the European Forest Information System (EFFIS), more than 25,000 hectares have burned to date in 2025 in Spain. In 2022, 300,000 hectares had been destroyed in the country, a record in Europe, according to EFFIS.
Source: BFM TV
