The Madrid City Council will be closing the Retiro and eight other parks in Madrid this Sunday from 3:00 p.m. due to a severe storm warning. This affects, in addition to the Retiro, the parks of El Capricho, Jardines de Sabatini, Juan Carlos I, Juan Pablo II, Quinta de Los Molinos, Torre Arias, Quinta del Fuente del Berro and Rosaleda del Parque del Oeste.
If a red alert level is reached, the City Council will automatically suspend all activity and evacuate the park. It’s a protocol that has been in place for over 50 years and is commonly used during heat waves across Europe. Before the suspension, it’s necessary to check for fallen trees and branches so they can be removed if necessary.
If you live in Madrid during the summertime, you might find yourself caught in a heat wave that lasts from June to August. The city council made the same decision last year by requiring trees to be removed from parks “to avoid the risks arising from the dynamics of these trees.” There are two criteria for this protocol: how fast it gets warmer and how high temperatures stay. “Depending on these parameters, there is a great risk that trees can topple over or break branches, with consequent danger to citizens.”
