The Community restricts access to the mountains of the Sierra Oeste

The General Directorate of Biodiversity and Forest Management of the Community of Madrid has temporarily restricted visitor access and transit, as well as the circulation of motor vehicles, on the forest roads and tracks of the public forests affected by the Sierra Oeste fire. The measure is adopted through Resolution 2263/2026, of August 31, published in the Official Gazette of the Community of Madrid number 210, of September 3, 2026, and takes effect from the day of its publication.

The fire, named “Sierra Oeste,” occurred between July 23 and 28, 2026, and was declared to be of extraordinary gravity. Its virulence led to the approval of Order INT/748/2026, of July 23, by which a national interest emergency was declared in the territory of the Community of Madrid and in the province of Ávila, published in the Official State Gazette number 178, of July 24, 2026.

A fire of 27,000 hectares and twelve evacuated municipalities

According to the provisional information gathered in the resolution, the fire affected approximately 27,000 hectares in the Community of Madrid and caused the evacuation of twelve municipalities, in addition to significant damage to vegetation, fauna, and soils, as well as to road and forest management infrastructure. Among the affected lands are twelve Public Utility Forests included in the Catalog of the Community of Madrid, with an approximate burned area of 7,000 hectares.

The restriction is justified by the risk of falling burnt trees, partially charred trees, or those with structural damage, and by the simultaneous transit of heavy forestry machinery on narrow roads, which endangers the physical integrity of people.

Eleven forests in six municipalities

The measure affects the following forests managed by the Community of Madrid:

• Dehesa de Navalquejigo (MUP 36), in Fresnedillas de la Oliva.
• Almenara (MUP 41), Dehesa de Fuenteanguila (MUP 43), and Monte Agudillo (MUP 45), in Robledo de Chavela.
• Hoya de la Horca y Solana (MUP 48), Pinar de Cerro Mesa, Barranco del Fresno y Otros (MUP 49), and Pinarejo, Vallefría y otros (MUP 50), in Navas del Rey.
• La Enfermería (MUP 52), in Pelayos de la Presa.
• Nahoncil y Agregados, Las Cabreras y Valle Lorenzo (MUP 54) and Navapozas, Fuenfría, Valdeyerno y Valcaliente (MUP 55), in San Martín de Valdeiglesias.
• Cuartel del Norte (MUP 56), in Villa del Prado.

The restriction will continue during the execution of emergency works to remove dangerous trees and post-fire silvicultural treatments, as long as objective risks to public safety persist. The General Directorate will periodically review the works and may lift the prohibitions totally or partially.

Exceptions and Sanctions Regime

The restriction shall not affect forest surveillance and management personnel and resources, workers and machinery involved in authorized forestry activities, emergency services, firefighting, civil protection, and security forces and bodies, nor the duly accredited holders of real rights and tenants who need to transit through easements of way. Any other access must be expressly authorized by the General Directorate.

Non-compliance with these prescriptions shall be sanctioned in accordance with Title VII of Law 43/2003, on Forests, and Title V of Law 16/1995, Forestry and Nature Protection of the Community of Madrid. An administrative appeal (recurso de alzada) may be filed against the resolution before the Vice-Ministry of Environment, Agriculture, and Interior within one month of its publication. The resolution is signed by the general director, Irene Aguiló Vidal.

The measure directly affects residents and hikers in an area of high public use, commonly used for hiking and outdoor recreation. Its validity, linked to safety and forest restoration, will condition access to one of the region’s most frequented natural spaces over the coming months.

Source: Official Gazette of the Community of Madrid, no. 210, September 3, 2026, section I.C (Other Provisions), pp. 198-201 (official reference: Resolution 2263/2026, of August 31).