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Pantano de San Juan remains closed to swimming and water activities after the fire
Those planning to cool off this summer at Pantano de San Juan or Playa del Alberche will have to change their plans. The Community of Madrid is maintaining the temporary ban on swimming, boating and water activities at both locations as a safety measure following the major forest fire that affected Sierra Oeste.
Although the fire has now been brought under control and evacuated residents have been able to return to their homes, the authorities consider that the necessary conditions to reopen these leisure areas are still not in place. Surveillance and final clean-up work continue in the surrounding area, along with an assessment of the damage caused by the fire.
The restriction affects swimming, navigation by boat and all other water-related recreational activities at both the San Juan Reservoir and Alberche Beach, two of the destinations most frequented by people from Madrid and visitors during the summer months.
The aim is to avoid risks to the public while emergency services remain deployed and inspection work continues in an area where the fire altered both the natural surroundings and part of the access infrastructure. The authorities insist that people respect the signage and do not enter restricted areas.
The limitations also continue to affect mobility. The M-957 road remains closed along the affected stretch, and several interurban bus routes continue not to stop at the San Juan Reservoir or Alberche Beach until the situation allows normal service to be restored.
The San Juan Reservoir is the only reservoir in the Community of Madrid where swimming and motorised water sports are normally permitted, so it receives thousands of visitors every summer. This year, however, the priority remains to guarantee safety and facilitate the recovery of one of the areas hardest hit by the Sierra Oeste fire before normal recreational activity resumes.