Responding to the spread of fires, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, Madrid's regional president, said it was: "The worst fire in the history of the region." Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez spoke of a "dramatic situation" and urged people to take great care. Three fires were burning west of Madrid, at Villa del Prado and San Martín de Valdeiglesias. Fire and rescue chief Marc Vermeulen said the wildfire had spread rapidly at the end of Thursday and into the early hours of Friday. Vermeulen compared the fires overnight to those in 2022 - explaining the area is in a more severe state of drought now.