Madrid inspects the Sierra Oeste to prepare for residents' return

The Community of Madrid and the Military Emergency Unit have activated an inspection plan to check the stability of buildings, the safety of access routes and the possible presence of fire-related risks. No area will reopen without a prior assessment.

The operation is coordinated from the Navalcarnero Advanced Command Post, where regional officials have met with the affected mayors. Miguel Ángel García Martín and Carlos Novillo have explained that technical teams will work area by area before authorising the first returns.

The checks will not be limited to homes. Roads, electricity lines, water supply and possible hot spots that could reignite will also be checked. Smoke, damaged trees and unstable debris remain a risk even where the flames have already passed.

The return will be phased and will not progress at the same pace in every municipality. Some families will be able to return earlier, while others will have to remain longer in temporary accommodation until it is confirmed that their homes and access roads are safe.

Town councils will have a key role in communicating authorisations and organising residents' entry. The recommendation is not to travel there independently or try to access restricted areas, even if the fire seems far away.

After days marked by evacuations, closed roads and nights away from home, the priority now is to avoid accidents during the return. Recovering a home does not mean merely opening the door, but checking that it can be lived in normally again.

The scene leaves towns waiting for a call and teams going street by street before lifting the controls. The return is beginning, but it will be cautious and at the pace set by the safety of each area.