Aftermath Residents count the cost after flames swept through

Dolfo López plunged his head and hands into his parents' swimming pool early yesterday afternoon, keen to wash off the soot and dirt from the gutted house his mother and father had called home for the past 25 years.

- Sam Jones Soto de Viñuelas

The wildfire that would devour 1,000 hectares of land, consume their house, destroy some of the neighbouring properties and kill a man trying to rescue horses from a local stables was just a column of smoke when López saw it approaching Soto de Viñuelas at 7.45pm on Monday.

Then the smoke gave way to fire and the curiosity turned to panic.

The pharmaceutical researcher, who lives in Montpellier and had brought his family to visit his parents half an hour north of Madrid, scooped everyone up and headed to a local hotel.

While they were away, the blaze - the result of the current heatwave, Soto's tinder-dry vegetation and winds of more than 45mph - tore through the area and through the nearby suburbs of Tres Cantos, leading authorities to order the evacuation of 180 people.

When they came back to their homes the next day, some residents found burned-out wrecks.

"At least it's just the house," said López. "We'll see what happens now but at least everyone is safe and my parents are OK. You can rebuild a house."