Luis F. Durán Madrid

Madrid

Updated Sunday, February 4, 2024-01:05

These winter days, the Community of Madrid deploys 25 forestry checkpoints with 304 personnel who carry out the cleaning and adaptation of the mountains in the region. An action that the Ministry of the Environment, Agriculture and Interior launches during the eight months of low and medium risk of fires, as a

measure to prevent these incidents in summer.

The brigades assigned to this task are

coordinated by the regional Fire Department

, which defines the areas in which to act, all of them belonging to the mountains managed by the Community of Madrid. The work begins in October, when the high risk season ends, and

continues until May,

when the teams destined for extinction are reinforced. Its preventive performance consists of clearing, pruning, cutting branches and removing remains, especially in places with dense vegetation. They are deployed in six areas: Lozoya-Somosierra, Sierra de Guadarrama National Park, Central Zone, South-West, Campiña del Este and Las Vegas Region.

The teams are made up of 10 people who travel in SUVs to the points where the work is carried out, some of which are

difficult to access

. In addition, they are prepared to go to put out fires that occur in areas close to where they carry out their work day.

To do this, their cars are equipped with units that allow them to carry out a first attack on an attempt, extinguishing it or preventing its development. These SUVs can be replaced by trucks (heavy rural pumpers)

prepared for extinction in case the level of fire risk increases

. In fact, high temperatures caused several fires last spring, before the high risk period.

Forest checkpoints working on a firebreak. COMMUNITY OF MADRID

Winter Inclement Plan

Likewise, the checkpoints are prepared to collaborate with the rest of the emergency services

integrated into the Winter Inclement Plan

, since the vehicles have the possibility of installing accessories such as snow plows, in case they are necessary for cleaning roads or roads.

The device also has logistical support checkpoints and four mechanized forestry units with caterpillar or wheel tractors, used for jobs that require heavy machinery, such as

creating firebreaks or improving them.

Once the high forest fire season arrives, the brigades that are working during the coldest months on prevention

will join the rest of the units that are part of the Civil Protection Plan against Forest Fires in the Community of Madrid (INFOMA).

in which the regional Executive invested a total of 44.6 million euros last year. This plan had 5,775 professionals, distributed among firefighters, forestry agents, surveillance personnel, aerial media professionals, forestry brigades, heavy machinery team members and Civil Protection, which has the resources of the Immediate Logistics Response Team (ERIVE). ).

Last year, historic data was recorded, with

only 76 fires compared to 199 the previous season.

Regarding the burned space, of the total 26.49 hectares, only 8% -2.26- corresponded to wooded area. In addition, more than 92% of the fires remained in flames, as they did not exceed the affected hectare. Only six fires exceeded this dimension and only one reached more than 10. Regarding the number of hectares burned, they were 191.9, of which only 4.41 corresponded to wooded area.