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Madrid speeds up the repair of burned woodland: €2.8 million and access still closed
The recovery of woodland damaged by this summer's fires is entering a new phase in the Community of Madrid. The regional government will allocate nearly €2.8 million to two emergency interventions in the Sierra Oeste and around Lozoyuela, Buitrago del Lozoya and Puentes Viejas, with work including the removal of dangerous trees, repair of paths and soil protection before the rains.
The largest allocation corresponds to Sierra Oeste. Just over 2.04 million euros will be used in ten Public Utility Forests affected by the major fire at the end of July. The work has been divided into three lots and has an estimated duration of two months.
One priority will be to remove burnt, leaning or structurally damaged trees that could fall onto paths, roads and other passageways. Fences and forest tracks damaged by the fire and by the movement of heavy vehicles during the emergency will also be repaired.
The action has direct consequences for people who use this part of the region to walk, cycle or spend a day in nature. Since the beginning of September, paths and tracks in twelve public forests affected by the fire in Fresnedillas de la Oliva, Navas del Rey, Pelayos de la Presa, Robledo de Chavela, San Martín de Valdeiglesias and Villa del Prado have remained temporarily restricted.
These twelve forests total approximately 7,000 burned hectares. The Sierra Oeste fire affected a total of around 27,000 hectares within the Community of Madrid, so the current work is concentrated on a particularly sensitive part of the territory managed directly by the regional Administration.
For now, the restriction does not have a general end date. The Community may review the zones and gradually lift limitations when the risks disappear, but the works’ two-month duration should not be interpreted as an automatic reopening date for routes.
The second contract is concentrated in the north of the region. Another 750,000 euros will be used to repair damage from the fire declared on 16 July in the area around Lozoyuela, Buitrago del Lozoya and Puentes Viejas. In this case, the estimated execution period is five months.
There, there is particular concern about what could happen with the first heavy rains. Once vegetation cover disappears, water can carry soil, ash and fire debris towards ravines and infrastructure. In the Puentes Viejas area, specific measures will also be adopted to prevent those materials from reaching facilities related to the water supply.
The 2.8 million investment does not yet amount to full reforestation of everything that burned. The first phase is focused above all on safety, soil stabilisation and recovery of forest infrastructure. The natural evolution of vegetation and the condition of each stand will later determine where further action is needed.