Disasters & Incidents
Police say man arrested over suspected start of fire near Madrid
Spanish police said a man was arrested on suspicion of starting a fire near Madrid by using a farm vehicle.
The report came as authorities were responding to wildfires in the Madrid region. A related published update said 7,000 more people had been ordered to evacuate from two new localities west of Madrid, on top of earlier instructions affecting 19,000 people in the region.
Update
Police said a man was arrested in Spain on suspicion of starting a fire near Madrid.
Police said the suspected cause involved the use of a farm vehicle.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 July 2026 at 15:25:45 UTC.
Update
Authorities ordered evacuation from two new localities west of Madrid.
Emergency messages were sent to phones in the affected villages.
The new evacuation order comes in addition to 19,000 people already told to leave villages or stay inside with windows and doors sealed.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 July 2026 at 15:27:29 UTC.
Update
Spanish authorities said 7,000 more people had been evacuated in the Madrid region as a fire advanced.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 July 2026 at 15:17:15 UTC.
Update
At least 19,000 people in the Madrid region had been evacuated or ordered to stay indoors because of the fires, according to regional president Isabel Diaz Ayuso.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 July 2026 at 12:22:10 UTC.
Update
Emergency services said two wildfires west of Madrid have merged.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 July 2026 at 12:13:58 UTC.
Update
Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said firefighters' main priority was to prevent the convergence of wildfires around Madrid.
Authorities were facing strong wind gusts of more than 50 kilometres per hour, low humidity and high temperatures.
Grande-Marlaska made the comments during a visit to the emergency command centre in Cenicientos.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 July 2026 at 09:52:53 UTC.
Update
Most evacuated residents have been allowed to return home.
Residents of El Encinar del Alberche in Villa del Prado remained unable to return.
Firefighters described overnight work as very positive.
The blaze had not yet been stabilised and several roads remained closed.
The source adds current figures on a separate larger Guadalajara wildfire and Spain's fire damage this year.
Source note: AFP news report published on 23 July 2026 at 08:12:10 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The source item does not identify the arrested man.
The source item does not state whether the man has been charged.
The source item does not provide further details on how the farm vehicle allegedly started the fire.
Source
AFP news report published on .