Wildfires in the Madrid and Ávila regions have put as many as 1,580 homes within their burned perimeters, with full rehabilitation of the properties potentially costing 157.1 million euros, according to estimates from the real estate portal Idealista.
Rising summer temperatures have driven up wildfire risk across much of Spain. The country has already lost close to 225,000 hectares to fire this year, based on real-time estimates from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). Ávila province has been among the hardest hit, with about 44,100 hectares burned, while the Community of Madrid has also suffered several large fires in recent weeks.
Idealista's estimates put the combined value of the 1,580 affected homes at 343.9 million euros. The real scope of the damage to individual properties is not yet known.
In the worst-case scenario, if every affected home needed a full renovation, the cost of the work would reach 157.1 million euros, Idealista said. Beyond homes that ultimately need to be rebuilt, the fires could also affect property values, insurance policies, and how quickly the affected towns recover, particularly in municipalities where second homes make up a large share of the housing stock.
Madrid holds nearly nine in ten affected homes
The Community of Madrid has by far the greatest potential impact. Five Madrid municipalities fall within the fire perimeter, containing 1,351 homes with a combined market value of 296.1 million euros. If all of them needed full rehabilitation, the investment required would exceed 99 million euros.
During a visit to the affected areas, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, president of the Community of Madrid, announced a reconstruction plan worth 100 million euros. She said the sale of five properties owned by the regional government, including a penthouse in the Chamberí district whose purchase had recently caused controversy, would help fund part of the effort. The sale is expected to raise between 20 and 22 million euros, which will go toward recovery in the fire-affected municipalities.
In Ávila province, the burned area covers 229 properties spread across seven municipalities. Idealista estimated their value at 47.5 million euros, with a maximum recovery cost of around 21.5 million euros.
San Martín de Valdeiglesias hit hardest
Among individual municipalities, San Martín de Valdeiglesias has the largest number of homes inside the burned perimeter, with 619 properties. Rehabilitating them could require more than 64 million euros.
Pelayos de la Presa follows with 418 homes and a potential recovery cost near 34 million euros. Villa del Prado has 306 homes in the affected zone, which could push its bill to 36.6 million euros.
In Ávila province, El Tiemblo has the greatest impact, with 180 homes and an estimated rehabilitation cost of 16.4 million euros.
