Pelayos de la Presa, a town west of Madrid, is grappling with the devastating aftermath of wildfires that have left homes in ruins and residents facing an uncertain future. Among those affected is 74-year-old pensioner José Fernández, who returned to find his house and land completely destroyed.
“I have no money, no documents, no home,” Fernández stated, surveying the landscape of burnt furniture, half-collapsed walls, and mountains of ash where his life’s work once stood. The blaze, which advanced from the San Juan reservoir area—one of the municipality’s hardest-hit sections—has left the village half empty. Many residents, evacuated late last week, are only now beginning to return after evacuation orders were lifted on Tuesday.
Fernández recounted his refusal to leave his home of 35 years when a Civil Guard officer “rudely” told him to evacuate. “I told him: ‘You don’t know what you’re doing. I’m a 74-year-old man and I’m here standing my ground,’” he told AFP. He added, “I’ve put out many fires since I was a child. Where I come from, when a house caught fire, I went up the hill and put it out with buckets.”
Beside the main house, now a ruin, was a large yard where Fernández had meticulously stored materials and tools accumulated over a lifetime. Everything was lost: the refrigerator and chairs from a bar he once owned, a van from his years in construction, and plumbing equipment and tools from his time repairing household appliances. “This place has been reduced to a total ruin. We had the fireplace there. Just imagine,” he told AFP, his voice breaking as he walked through the rubble.
Antonio Sin, the mayor of Pelayos de la Presa, described the fire that struck the town of 3,000 people as a “monster.” Approximately 15 families have lost their primary homes, and rehousing them is now the immediate priority. The unpredictable nature of the fire and wind was evident along the streets, where some houses stood untouched next to others that were completely blackened. Mayor Sin acknowledged the long road ahead, stating, “We have to solve one problem at a time, trying to assess their importance in order of priority and knowing that this work will take years.”
For Fernández, a new chapter has begun amidst the devastation. The town hall has offered him accommodation, and friends and neighbours have rallied to provide support. Despite the assistance, he reflected on the scale of the destruction, his eyes glistening, “This disaster is beyond comprehension.”
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