Reinforcement of Forest Fire Prevention Units
The Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda has this February intensified the units of the Special Forest Fire Prevention Groups (GEPIF) to cover the entire territory with forest fire prevention, surveillance and first intervention tasks.
Drought Situation and Fire Risk
This anticipation of four months in the reinforcement of the cash of this operational group responds to the accumulated drought situation during the last three years in Catalonia and to the historical records of lack of water in the vegetation, which leads to a considerable increase in danger of forest fires.
Expansion of Budget and Cash
The reinforcement has materialized this week with an increase in the number of cash and an expansion of the budget up to three million euros.
Bases and Operational Equipment
The eight bases with operational teams are distributed throughout the territory, including one in Tremp (Pallars Jussà). With the staff added this week, 60 people have become available with 26 vehicles, a tractor equipped with a brush cutter and a disc plow to carry out preventive tasks, in addition to three brush cutter robots to shred and remove plant remains.
Maintenance and Surveillance Tasks
The GEPIF units carry out forest fire prevention infrastructure maintenance tasks, as well as specific surveillance in the riparian forests to prevent brush fires and act in areas where there is a build-up of fireflies, which affect forests very much fragile at a critical time for the nesting of many species.
Commitment to Fire Prevention
This reinforcement of forest fire prevention units demonstrates the commitment of the Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda to the protection of the environment and the safety of the Catalan territory.
