The President of the Government has travelled to the Advanced Command Post in Cenicientos to assess the evolution of the fires. Sánchez has announced the activation of the European Civil Protection System, with the anticipated arrival of resources from Greece and Italy.
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, visited this morning the area affected by the wildfires in Madrid, specifically the Advanced Command Post located in Cenicientos. There, he attended the meeting of the State Coordination and Direction Committee of the State Emergency Plan (CECOD), where the evolution of the fires in the central part of the country was assessed.
The head of the Executive was accompanied by the President of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso; the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande Marlaska; and the Government Delegate, Francisco Martín. In his statement to the media, Sánchez emphasised that the priority now is to “safeguard lives and defend populated areas”, and assured that “the entire State is making all available resources at its disposal”.
The President recalled that, since Friday, the Government agreed to an operational situation level 3 following requests from the communities of Madrid and Castilla y León. Under Article 30 of the National Civil Protection System Law, the Executive took charge of leading the response to the fires in Ávila and Madrid, which have now “merged into a single fire”.
Sánchez highlighted the agility and coordination of the unified operational response system. Ten autonomous communities have already offered resources to combat the fire. Additionally, the European Civil Protection System has been activated: today, resources from Greece and Italy are expected, as well as the deployment of over 100 units from the Portuguese Army to tackle the fire in the province of Ávila.
The head of the Executive explained that “complex hours are ahead, because temperatures have dropped, but we do not know exactly what the evolution of the winds will be, their intensity, and whether dry storms will actually occur”. However, he pointed out that there is “a window of opportunity this weekend to fight the fire”, so a significant portion of the available resources will be dedicated and allocated.
Sánchez also warned about the increasing severity of the fires in Spain. According to data from the Ministry of Ecological Transition, over 130,000 hectares have been burned so far this year. “If we compare it with the average that has been lost annually in Spain over the last decade —100,000 hectares per year on average— we will see that the climate emergency is worsening”, he stated.
The President thanked the work of the media, “because it is very important at a time like this that citizens receive truthful information”.
For citizens in the affected areas, the recommendation is to follow the authorities' instructions and stay informed through official channels. The arrival of international resources and the coordination between administrations aim to minimise damage and protect the population.
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