Regional forestry plan outlined
Valencia facing one of the most difficult forest fire seasons in history
AFTER many years of decline from neglect, drought and fires, the region’s forests are set to benefit from almost €18 million in investments over the next two years, as well as greater vigilance to prevent and extinguish any blazes.
This includes over €900,000 to draw up or revise mountain land management projects and forestry plans.
For sustainable forest management interventions to improve the environment and landscapes, and foster natural ecosystems, there is a further €11.6 million.
This includes preventing the spread of fires by improving the ‘internal structure’ of forests, encouraging areas of transition between ecosystems which are not only ecologically rich but also create natural discontinuations between forest masses.
Another aim is to improve ecosystems’ resilience to natural disasters (infestations and diseases and prolonged drought), while at the same time improving their biodiversity and natural structural stability.
This is considered vital to control carbon dioxide levels, refill aquifers, improve the landscapes and increase biodiversity.
Another benefit would be sustainably obtaining products with market value from forests which, if marketed responsibly, is needed for the social and economic development of rural, mountain areas.
A total of €5.4 million is available for business projects to obtain subsidies for technical advice on environmental sustainability, storage facilities and new machinery.
All these measures are jointly funded by the EU FEADER fund, the regional government and the ministry for ecological transition.
Plan against forest fires
The regional government’s forest fire fighting plan for summer 2020 involves more than 1,000 people from various organisations, coordinated by the Valencian security and emergency response agency (AVSRE).
They are facing one of the most difficult forest fire seasons in history, according to councillor for the interior, Gabriela Bravo.
Factors include the Covid19 pandemic, one of the wettest springs in recent years, forecasts for a very dry summer, and more people being expected to visit inland areas.
For this reason she assured they are putting more effort into its organisation than at any time over the last two decades.
2019 actually had the lowest number of fires since 1986, despite the large one in Beneixama on July 15, with 1,025 calls to the ‘112’ emergency number about blazes affecting vegetation, a total of 273 which were declared forest fires.
This summer the AVSRE will have 432 people available each day between land and aerial operations, plus the regional government forest vigilance observatories, provincial fire brigades, military emergencies unit (UME), Guardia Civil, local police forces and regional police.
The operation has begun a month later than usual on May 16, and will end a month later, on November 16.
The regional government will spend €80 million this year on fire prevention work.
And for the first time it will deploy the new Satcom2 advanced communications unit, with more satellite capabilities and able to provide broadband internet using VSAT technology so that the Comdes emergency communications network can establish mobile bases in areas without coverage where fires break out. The network has 172 base stations and can handle over 1,270 simultaneous communications, as well as sending real time images of fires taken from helicopters and drones in order to facilitate decision making from the command post.
Finally, Sra Bravo called on the public to act responsibly and call 112 if they suspect any fire, ‘as a call could prevent a big fire and enable the emergency services to act quickly’.
Storm damage repairs
The regional government has also assigned €1.2 million to repair damage caused by Storm Gloria in January.
The torrential rain damaged many paths and trails, as well as forest fire prevention infrastructure that is needed for management and emergency vehicles to get around safely.