Redaccion
The smoke and smell from the Méntrida fire were perceived in many areas of the Community of Madrid. Navalcarnero has been one of the most affected municipalities in the southwest of the region. In the Los Manzanos area, for example, the flames were just 100 meters away. There, farmers showed their most supportive side: they took their tractors and, without fear of the flames, created a firebreak in the grass.
The fire started in a ditch on the road from Valmojado to Méntrida and from there spread to Madrid, devastating over 3,200 hectares.
Méntrida fire contained, but wind remains a concern
As the flames approached, residents in the area feared not only for their safety but also for that of their animals. «I have seven dogs. I took five and left, but there were two I couldn’t take, a donkey, a mare… And I saw the fire coming,» one of the residents living in a wooden house with numerous animals told us.
«In times of difficulty, that’s when the good things, the good attitudes, truly shine.»
During the night, before the flames could spread further, a tractor with harrows created a firebreak in front of the homes: «Then Juanjo came with the tractor and made this firebreak for us. And then another one over there, where a bulldozer from the Community of Madrid came to help us,» he added.
«We must be grateful because what he did was limit the perimeter in this area of the fire,» explained another resident.
Méntrida fire originated in a roadside ditch: a cigarette butt thrown from a car, possible cause
The force of the wind posed a challenge in containing the flames and made residents fear the fire could reach their homes. «We have a group among the neighbors. We all organized and started mobilizing to try to create the firebreak and warn everyone,» one resident told us.
Thanks to the work of the UME and the assistance of the farmers, the fire was prevented from reaching the houses. As one resident defended, «In times of difficulty, that’s when the good things, the good attitudes, truly shine.»
