The Community of Madrid has launched an action plan across 5,298 hectares of forest land aimed at strengthening fire prevention efforts before the arrival of summer, a season that presents a high risk of incidents. The regional Firefighters Corps is responsible for identifying areas requiring these interventions, which primarily include pruning, clearing, and maintaining firebreaks.
These activities are carried out during the eight months considered to be periods of medium and low risk, focusing on areas near homes and densely vegetated zones. The goal is to reduce the accumulation of combustible material, thereby preventing the rapid spread of fire. Additionally, rural roads are being improved to facilitate access for emergency services.
A notable aspect of this program is that 71.2% of the area to be treated (3,772.59 hectares) is cleared using livestock, thanks to the regional preventive grazing program. This system involves herds of sheep, goats, cows, and horses. Since its implementation in 2011, technicians from the Firefighters Corps collaborate with livestock farmers to determine specific action areas and offer them financial compensation for their services. In the previous year, 85 farms participated with a total of 21,374 head of livestock.
Furthermore, a specialized team in forest brigades is directly working on 1,525 hectares in forests and adjacent urban areas. These tasks include clearing, pruning, and removing vegetation debris in areas previously designated by the technical services of the fire department. A total of 304 professionals, organized into groups and equipped with manual and heavy machinery, carry out these duties until the critical period begins.
With the arrival of summer, the deployment is significantly reinforced to reach 419 personnel, who will integrate as forest firefighters within the operational framework of the Civil Protection Plan against Forest Fires in the Community of Madrid (INFOMA). Additionally, this team is working on adapting 74.6 kilometers of forest tracks to improve access for extinction resources. Interventions are taking place in nearly 50 municipalities, distributed across six areas: Lozoya-Somosierra, Sierra de Guadarrama National Park, Central Zone, South-West, Eastern Campiña, and Vegas Region.
The implemented actions help reduce combustible vegetation load, contributing to slowing fire propagation and decreasing flame intensity. This not only enhances safety for firefighting teams but also facilitates quicker and more effective control during potential emergencies. However, it is important to note that the planned area for these actions may vary due to factors such as adverse weather phenomena or the nesting of protected species.
