Madrid's fire brigades intensify their night surveillance amid a hot summer. With only 500 litres of water, they are the first line of defence against fire.
The fight against forest fires in the Community of Madrid intensifies with the arrival of summer. As temperatures rise, five mobile patrols traverse the Madrid mountains each night to prevent and combat potential fire outbreaks. These brigades, made up of 15 experienced professionals, are essential in a context where aerial resources cannot operate after dusk.
The patrols are equipped with all-terrain vehicles that have 500 litres of water tanks, allowing them to act quickly if smoke or flames are detected. Pedro Díaz, head of the forest fire service, explains that their main task is to monitor areas prone to fires and ensure that fires extinguished during the day do not reignite at night. "If a spark ignites during events like pilgrimages or fireworks, we are ready to intervene," he states.
Despite having limited resources compared to fire trucks, these brigades play a crucial role in the early extinguishing of fires. "With our equipment, we can work for 15 to 20 minutes on an incipient fire while reinforcements arrive," Díaz adds.
Night work presents advantages and disadvantages. On one hand, lower temperatures and calm winds help control the flames; however, the lack of aerial support makes it difficult to identify and access the fire. To improve this situation, the Community has installed cameras capable of detecting smoke columns up to 20 kilometres, although they currently generate many false alarms.
Despite technological advances, Díaz emphasizes that citizen collaboration is essential: "We have seven million eyes in Madrid; anyone can help by reporting a fire to 112."
On another front, Iván Rodríguez coordinates an airlift brigade from Valdemorillo. His team uses Bell 412 helicopters to drop water on fire-affected areas. Each flight can carry between 1,000 and 1,100 litres, which is crucial for quickly extinguishing active hotspots.
Although many fires are caused by natural phenomena like lightning during summer storms, Rodríguez warns about the concerning rise in human incendiary behaviour: "There are more arsonists seeking economic gain or causing damage intentionally than pyromaniacs with mental health issues."
Catching them is complicated because the fire can be detected five to ten minutes after it starts. This time is enough for the perpetrators to escape via known routes.
Díaz also mentions the harsh physical conditions faced by his teams: "A firefighter can experience thermal radiation equivalent to 60 degrees, significantly raising their body temperature." Constant hydration is vital; some fighters can lose up to three kilos in an intense day due to physical exertion.
With June marking unusually high temperatures this year, both experts agree that a difficult summer lies ahead: "Climate change has made more summers considered bad years," Díaz concludes.
While Madrid sleeps peacefully at night, these brigades continue patrolling mountains and forest roads to ensure both human safety and the well-being of the local ecosystem.
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