Overview

• Firefighters have circumscribed the blaze after it burned over 3,100 hectares around Mentrida and have moved into a control phase.
• About 100 firefighters and members of the military emergency unit remain deployed amid forecasts of strong winds that could reignite hotspots.
• Dense smoke is still drifting into Madrid, prompting civil protection services to urge residents to stay indoors, close windows and wear surgical masks.
• Officials have closed a major highway leading to the capital and imposed local access restrictions while air quality monitors remain in operation.
• Climate experts warn that record heat and human-driven warming are fueling more frequent and intense forest fires, with over 25,000 hectares already lost in Spain so far this year.