National emergency due to fires in Madrid and Ávila: what Level 3 means and who is in command now

Key data

With multiple fire fronts active and preventive evacuations already underway, the Government has activated the maximum level of the civil protection system in the Community of Madrid and the province of Ávila. The Order INT/748/2026, signed on July 23, 2026 and published in the BOE on July 24, declares the emergency of national interest under articles 28 and 29 of the Law 17/2015 of the National Civil Protection System.

What this means in practical terms: the Minister of Interior assumes unified direction of the entire response, coordinating state, regional and local resources under a single command. Regional authorities are temporarily subordinate to state command in the declared territorial scope.

What does this regulation establish?

Order INT/748/2026 activates Level 3 civil protection emergency, the highest step of the Spanish system, reserved for situations that exceed regional response capacity or affect multiple communities. These are the key elements it establishes:

A relevant aspect: the declaration allows mobilizing resources from administrations not directly affected if the severity of the situation requires it. This means that other autonomous communities or local entities outside Madrid and Ávila can be required to provide means.

Economic and operational impact

For companies and organizations with activity in the affected areas, the declaration of emergency of national interest has immediate operational consequences:

• Access and mobility restrictions: Preventive evacuations may affect facilities, warehouses, logistics centers or agricultural and forestry operations in the declared areas.
• Subordination to state command orders: Any activity in the affected territory may be conditioned or halted by decisions of the Ministry of Interior or the UME without prior negotiation with regional authorities.
• Mobilization of private resources: In Level 3 situations, the regulation allows temporary requisition of private means (machinery, vehicles, facilities) if the emergency requires it, with corresponding later compensation.
• Interruption of supply chains: Companies with suppliers or customers in Madrid or Ávila should anticipate possible cuts in access, communications or basic supplies.
• Activation of damage insurance: Forest fires with declaration of national emergency can activate specific coverage of agricultural, forestry or third-party damage insurance. Review policies urgently.

Who does it affect?

• Resident population in preventive evacuation areas of the Community of Madrid and province of Ávila
• Companies with facilities, warehouses or production centers in municipalities affected by fire fronts
• Agricultural and forestry sector with operations in the declared areas
• Regional and local administrations of Madrid and Ávila, whose authorities are subordinate to state command
• Regional and local emergency services (firefighters, municipal civil protection, local police) that are coordinated under the direction of the Ministry of Interior
• Logistics and transport companies with routes crossing the affected areas
• Administrations of other autonomous communities that may be required to provide means if severity requires it
• Insurance companies with active policies in the affected territories

Practical example

A forestry management company with heavy machinery (tractors, excavators) operating on a property in the Ávila mountains receives notice of preventive evacuation ordered by state command. Since the Level 3 declaration allows temporary requisition of private means, the UME chief can order that machinery to be used for firebreak or firefighting work, without prior authorization from the company or the Junta de Castilla y León.

The company cannot refuse this requisition while the emergency lasts, but has the right to claim later economic compensation. The contact is no longer the regional administration, but the state command designated by the Ministry of Interior. Any claim or coordination must be directed to that channel, not the usual one.

What should companies do now?

1. Verify if your facilities are in the affected area: Identify if any asset, employee or key supplier is located in municipalities with active preventive evacuation in Madrid or Ávila.
2. Activate the business continuity plan: If there are facilities in risk areas, activate contingency protocols to ensure operational continuity from alternative locations.
3. Review insurance policies: Check if damage, agricultural or forestry policies include coverage for fires with declaration of national emergency and what the notification procedure to the insurer is.
4. Identify the correct channel of communication: During the emergency, command is state-level (Ministry of Interior / UME). Dealings with regional administrations are subordinate to this command. Update emergency contacts.
5. Document any requisition or damage: If the company suffers requisition of means or damage resulting from the emergency, document in detail (inventory, photographs, records) to facilitate later compensation claims.
6. Communicate to employees and clients: Proactively inform about possible operational interruptions, delivery delays or temporary closures of facilities in the affected areas.

Official source

Consult complete regulation in official source

Notice: This article is merely informative in nature and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-16093