In Tres Cantos, a municipality with around 53,000 residents, fire incidents have become more frequent in recent years. The latest fire was the most destructive in the city’s history, with the Soto de Viñuelas area, considered the most prestigious in the district, suffering the most. Around 2,500 people live there. Four families lost their homes, and another fourteen lost their gardens. The tragedy claimed the life of a man who tried to save horses from the blaze.
A month and a half has passed since the disaster that destroyed more than 1,500 hectares. In that time, residents and local business owners have come together to demand immediate action from the municipality and regional authorities to prevent new disasters. In the past three years, the city has seen five major fires, three of which occurred near Soto de Viñuelas and the new northern district, where an additional 20,000 homes are planned.
Despite these numbers, regional authorities have not designated Tres Cantos as a high-risk area. This means the city is not required to develop a special wildfire response plan, which would include regular clearing of dry vegetation and clear protocols for emergency services. Such a status would require either a decision by the Madrid government or an official request from the municipality, but neither has happened so far.
The disaster spread due to strong winds exceeding 70 km/h and a large amount of dry vegetation, which provided ideal fuel for the fire. Residents are currently negotiating with insurance companies for compensation, and are also seeking tax relief on real estate and assistance with the removal of burnt trees from the authorities. Each tree costs 300 euros to remove, causing discontent among those affected. People complain that, aside from initial promises of support, almost no real help has followed.
The municipality allocated between 500 and 5,000 euros to each victim, totaling 100,000 euros, mainly for cleanup of the area. Psychological counseling was organized and a hotline was set up for residents. The regional water company reduced water rates by 80% to help restore gardens.
The business community has drawn attention to the danger the fire posed to the Normon pharmaceutical laboratory. The facility was only saved thanks to its own evacuation and protection plan. Now business owners are demanding enhanced prevention, clearing of land around the industrial area, and the creation of firebreaks.
