Spanish plan to fight forest fires 2023

EVERY year as summers get hotter so there are an increasing number of forest fires and the Spanish Government plans to do something about both preventing and tackling them.

According to Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska who announced the programme on June 20, “We are no longer talking about estimates or predictive models, we are talking about a reality that has demonstrated its terrible destructive potential for our peoples, fields, cities, livestock and farms and on the natural heritage of the different regions of Spain”.

Last year, forest fires took out more than 300,000 hectares (one hectare equals 2.47 acres) of forest, seeing the evacuation of some 30,000 people, the loss of four lives and a huge amount of property.

As Spain is such a large and relatively under populated country flash fires can take some time to discover and then firefighters have difficulty in reaching them, but as the number of such fires has trebled in the past 10 years, possibly made worse by climate change, the trend must be reversed.

Preparations began in April rather than waiting until June and the government is working closely with the autonomous communities to ensure that all sides work together to fight the outbreak of fire anywhere in the country.

It is not just firefighters who are involved in the planning and members of the Guardia Civil’s Seprona division as well as National Police, Civil Protection and the Ministry of Defence are all working closely together to get the right equipment to the right place as quickly as possible.

Unfortunately, in today’s fast reacting climate, whilst fire is a major hazard in the summer, all plans need to be adaptable to take into account the possibility of earthquake, tidal waves, flood, heavy snowfall and even nuclear or biological disaster.

Funds will be made available to help compensate individuals and businesses affected by fire as well as Councils who have had to face additional expenses in order to combat them or clear up after.