Actividades de prevención de incendios forestales y control de especies invasoras en las Islas Baleares.

The General State Administration, in coordination with the autonomous communities, carries out specific programs for the prevention of forest fires, in compliance with the provisions of Article 44 of the Law 43/2003, of November 21, on Forests.

According to the Spanish Constitution’s Article 148, the autonomous communities are responsible for the exploitation and management of forest resources, as well as environmental protection within their autonomy. Therefore, the autonomous communities are competent in terms of preventing and extinguishing forest fires in their territories by designing their own strategies for this purpose.

Furthermore, as per the Law 43/2003 of November 21 on Forests, the General State Administration has the power, among others, to support the autonomous communities in covering firefighting needs (Article 7, Point 2, Letter C).

In accordance with the aforementioned Forest Law’s Article 44 on forest fire prevention, the general state administration and autonomous communities will coordinate specific programs to prevent forest fires based on research into their causes, particularly focusing on motivations that may lead to intentional fires. In this regard, Miteco has prevention teams that can also assist in extinguishing fires if necessary.

Moving on to the prevention of forest fires in the Balearic Islands, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and the Environment, through the Directorate General of Natural Environment and Forest Management, has initiated efforts to prevent forest fires and control invasive plant species using controlled burning techniques.

These actions involve selectively removing flammable forest fuels, especially the most combustible species, to reduce the risk of fire. Maintenance activities are also carried out in firebreaks and strategic management areas.

Minister Joan Simonet emphasized that these actions are part of a strategic plan to prevent wildfires throughout the year, with controlled burning being used during specific times and seasons.

As part of this year’s plan, approximately 38 hectares of prevention work are scheduled in Mallorca, with 3.7 hectares in Ibiza and other areas. All controlled burns must adhere to technical burning guidelines, ensuring environmental considerations and execution objectives are met.

The use of prescribed or controlled burns allows firefighting personnel to expand burns or create firebreaks during a forest fire, enabling a more efficient and secure response. These maneuvers are particularly effective in slowing the fire’s progress and protecting vulnerable areas.

These tasks will be carried out in the coming weeks before the peak wildfire season starting on May 1st. During this time, no fires are allowed in forested areas of the Balearic Islands as a preventive measure to avoid wildfires.

Additionally, General Manager Anna Torres highlighted the effectiveness of controlled burning in combating invasive plant species like Pennisetum sp., which have significant environmental impacts. Controlled burns prevent these species from spreading their seeds and encroaching into new territories.

Furthermore, Ibanat’s Manager Tomeu Llabrés emphasized the effectiveness of controlled burning not only in landscape management and wildfire risk reduction but also in controlling invasive species. These interventions provide practical training and specialization opportunities for forest brigades.

Llabrés stressed the importance of ongoing training for wildfire response teams to safely and efficiently apply controlled burning techniques. This enhances their emergency response capabilities and improves safety and efficiency in wildfire suppression operations.

The government urges the population to exercise extreme caution with activities that could pose a wildfire risk. Citizen collaboration is crucial for protecting forests and preserving the natural heritage of the Balearic Islands. Therefore, Ecoticias.com is actively involved in disseminating this news.

FUENTE