The National Police Academy in Ávila has rapidly become Spain’s largest emergency shelter as wildfires continue to force evacuations across the region. Police sources cited by EL MUNDO say the academy is currently hosting 700 residents from seven villages, with numbers expected to more than double to 1,500 by the end of the day. Most arrivals are being transferred from smaller, less-equipped centers that cannot offer the same capacity or comfort.
Unlike temporary shelters in sports halls or industrial buildings, the police academy offers individual or family rooms with private bathrooms, along with organized meal services. Police officials say they handle each case individually, arranging suitable accommodations for families and elderly residents, as well as people with mobility issues. On Friday, dinner was delivered directly to rooms. With Saturday’s influx, meals will be served in two of the academy’s six dining halls.
The oldest evacuee is nearly 100 years old, while the youngest is a one-month-old infant. The shelter is also accommodating more than 50 dogs belonging to displaced families. Most current residents come from El Barraco, El Tiemblo, Burgohondo, Hoyo de Pinares, Cebreros, and Villanueva de Ávila, the villages hardest hit by the advancing flames.
Authorities expect another 800 people to arrive throughout Saturday. Many are being moved from initial emergency shelters that lack adequate facilities for longer stays. The academy is also housing volunteers from Galicia who have joined firefighting efforts, along with Civil Protection personnel deployed to the area.
The scale of the Burgohondo fire helps explain why authorities need accommodation beyond municipal halls and sports facilities. The blaze began on July 22 and 23, 2026, and affected parts of the Alberche valley, Tierra de Pinares, the Sierra de Gredos area, the Tiétar valley and the Valle de Iruelas. Inforcyl and the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge reported 33,943 hectares burned, while satellite-based estimates cited by Fundación Cesefor and its Micocyl programme put the affected area at about 37,800 hectares. The fire’s perimeter reached roughly 160 kilometres.
The fire was declared fully extinguished on October 3, 73 days after it began. Safety measures have continued in its aftermath: Fundación Cesefor’s Micocyl programme urged people to stay out of affected forest areas because burned trees could fall and the ground remained unstable. The response also extended beyond the immediate evacuation, with residents and emergency personnel needing accommodation while the fires were active.
The immediate focus remains relief, but the situation in Ávila reflects a wider challenge for Spanish authorities as wildfires become more frequent and severe. Authorities mobilized resources quickly and used institutional facilities such as the police academy, signaling a shift in emergency response strategies. Recent policy changes in Madrid aimed at accelerating housing construction have also sparked debate about adapting public infrastructure in times of crisis, as seen in the latest legislative push to simplify urban planning.
Spain has faced more large-scale evacuations in recent years, with climate conditions contributing to longer and more intense wildfire seasons. As evacuee numbers rise, authorities continue to monitor the situation and coordinate support for those affected, including care for vulnerable people during displacement.
