Forest fire prevention plan outlined
A safety ring will be thrown up around wooded areas
A SPECIAL plan to prevent fires in the countryside will be activated during the Easter holidays in the Valencia region.
Emergency services agency director José María Ángel said patrols to watch over wooded areas will be increased.
He explained that the emergency measures will be in place from April 18 to 29, with the possibility of extending them to May 1.
“During this time we will be acting as if the region is on level 3 alert for fires in the countryside, which is extreme risk,” he said.
A total of 800 personnel involved in the fight against forest fires will be mobilised.
Sr Ángel explained that a safety ring will be thrown up around wooded areas, with a ban on lighting fires or burning agricultural waste within 500 metres of copses or trees.
Permission for any such agricultural burning which has already been granted will be revoked, noted Sr Ángel. However, he said speciallybuilt barbecues in recreational areas can be used, unless an alert is issued by his agency.
Sr Ángel explained that spotter planes will be operating every day and will ‘cover the whole of the Valencia region with flights lasting two to three hours’.
These sorties will be halted if the planes are needed to help put out an active forest fire, he added.
“Millions of people will be travelling during the Easter holidays and many of them will be visiting our coast and natural parks,” he said.
“For this reason we will be increasing our vigilance.
“At the same time I would call on citizens to act sensibly and not to take any risks or do anything which could start a fire.”
He added that staff will be boosted in the control room in Valencia city which deals with all calls placed to the 112 hotline. This will coincide with the national road department’s special operation to reduce congestion and accidents on the roads during Easter.