A fast-moving wildfire broke out in Lozoyuela on Tuesday afternoon, prompting a major emergency response and the evacuation of residents near Buitrago de Lozoya. The fire began at around 16:00 in a vegetated area and spread east toward Buitrago, Manjirón and Cinco Villas. Strong winds hampered efforts to contain the flames, while the incident disrupted traffic on the A-1 motorway.
By early evening, 28 ground teams and nine aircraft from the Bomberos de la Comunidad de Madrid had been deployed, along with regional forest agents. The Unidad Militar de Emergencias (UME) also joined the response as crews tackled fronts advancing toward Manjirón and Cinco Villas. At 18:30, the regional government activated Operative Situation 2 of the Infoma forest-fire civil-protection plan.
Residents in threatened areas received an Es-Alert warning from Protección Civil, including people near Buitrago de Lozoya and the hamlets of Cinco Villas and Manjirón in Puentes Viejas. The mayor of Lozoyuela said her municipality faced no immediate risk because the fire was moving east toward Buitrago. Evacuations began in the most threatened zones. Smoke was visible across a wide area, and traffic slowed on the A-1 near Buitrago, with drivers posting images on social media.
By 19:30, firefighters had controlled the section closest to the basic road and the front heading toward Buitrago. The Manjirón and Cinco Villas fronts remained active and uncontained. An Advanced Command Post was established at the Lozoyuela fire station, while the crisis committee convened at ASEM112 to coordinate the response. Road closures included the A-1 exit 69, the M126 at kilometre 0 and the M135 at kilometre 5. Authorities urged the public to avoid the affected area and follow emergency instructions.
Madrid regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso publicly called for coordination and responsibility, stressing the need for teamwork among emergency services. Environment Minister Carlos Novillo said the fire was approaching the Puentes Viejas reservoir and pointed to strong winds and another wildfire, about 15 kilometres away in Guadalajara, as added challenges. No injuries had been reported at the time, as crews continued working to contain the blaze.
The fire put several communities in Madrid’s Sierra Norte under evacuation and travel restrictions, affecting access routes such as the A-1 and connecting regional roads. The response brought together regional firefighters, forest agents and the UME. The Es-Alert warning and command post were also part of the emergency operation. A deadly wildfire emergency unfolded in Almería, where authorities brought the Los Gallardos blaze under control and identified victims, as detailed in a recent report on the Los Gallardos fire.
Infoma is the Community of Madrid’s civil-protection plan for forest fires. In Lozoyuela, authorities activated it at 18:30 as the fire continued to threaten communities east of the town and crews worked across several fronts. Conditions remained volatile. Emergency services coordinated resources and monitored conditions as they continued efforts to contain the flames.
