High-risk wildfire period officially ends in Andalucía with 6,062 hectares burnt, 34% below average for the decade

During the peak season, Plan Infoca operated 44 aircraft across the region, the highest number in the history of the operation

Europa Press

Seville

Monday, 21 October 2024, 12:25

The high-risk fire period has officially ended in the Andalucía region of southern Spain with just 6,062 hectares of land scorched. The total - which includes 683-hectares-worth of trees and 5,379 hectares of burnt scrubland - is 34% below the average for the decade (9,217 hectares).

Minister of the presidency Antonio Sanz chaired the Plan Infoca meeting on Friday 18 October, after officially ending the high-risk fire season on 15 October. At the meeting, they revealed there were 613 Infoca interventions carried out in forest fires during this season, 118 fewer than the average for the decade (731). Sanz said that the high percentage of fires, 82%, is mainly due to "the effective and rapid response of the Infoca system, as well as the land and air resources used in each incident".

The minister thanked "the collaboration of the public in the early warning of emergencies, which has allowed the plan's resources to be activated promptly and the fires not to become large". Four fires were major, affecting an area larger than 500 hectares: in Enix (Almeria), 639 hectares; in Tarifa (Cadiz), with 572 hectares burnt; in Níjar (Almeria), 2,167 hectares, and in Andújar (Jaén), 530 hectares.

Sanz said the "continuous improvement" of material and human resources is the "main asset" the Junta has to fight forest fires, which are becoming increasingly virulent and prolonged due to climate change. The Plan Infoca comprised of 4,700 people during this season, with Sanz congratulating them on their work.

Sanz also thanked emergency services involved in the fight against fires, as well as the UME, 112, the Andalusian emergency group, civil protection volunteers and local police, the Spanish Red Cross, urban firefighters, as well as the local rapid assistance groups and the forest defence associations. The Attached Police Unit (UPA) helped solve 88% of suspicious fires (30 of 34 incidents), Sanz added, with the group arresting or investigating four people, three in the province of Malaga and one in the province of Jaén for negligence that caused the fires.

The UPA also raised 4,090 proposals for sanctions or complaints for risky behaviour in forest areas. The UPA (whose functions include the protection of the natural environment) and the forest fire investigation brigade attached to Infoca, "have once again been an indisputable axis of security this season", Sanz added.

From the total number of actions already investigated by the forest fire investigation brigade, 22% of forest fires were intentional; 42.5% were due to negligence; 15% due to natural causes, 8.73% were accidental and 12.49% were caused by unknown causes.

The emergency service, 112 Andalucía, dealt with 18,270 phone calls during this high-risk fire period, of which 12,960 were related to agricultural fires and 5,310 to forest fires. Last year there were 11,952 phone calls, an increase of 53% in this period. "These figures confirm that the awareness campaigns are having an effect," said Sanz, who urged Andalusians and visitors to the region to continue being cautious and collaborating with Plan Infoca Plan by phoning 1-1-2.

Stabilisation of workforce

Antonio Sanz also pointed out that the Junta has initiated the stabilisation and reduction of the temporary nature of Plan Infoca workers, following negotiations with the workers' representatives. This means that Infoca personnel assigned to the Andalusian environment and water agency (Amaya) can work throughout the year if they wish to do so. Three million euros has been earmarked in 2024, with the next budgets to include new items.

The stabilisation process has affected 357 workers (of the 371 positions offered), 301 of whom were also offered contract extensions, of which 294 have accepted. They have gone from working for six months to working until December. Sanz said the creation of the Andalusian Security and Emergency Agency (Asema) means Infoca personnel will be available 365 days a year to fight fires all year round and be used to help in the event of other natural emergencies such as floods, earthquakes or even searches for people missing in natural areas.

The Andalusian government has also shown its commitment to fighting fires in the region, with work completed on a new forest defence centre in El Pedroso in Seville province. Work has also started on a new forest defence centre in Algodonales in Cadiz province, which will replace the current one, and the one on the Costa del Sol (Istan-Marbella). Construction has also started on a new airstrip in Villaviciosa de Cordoba. The Andalusian government has allocated more than 165 million euros to Infoca Plan projects and facilities.

A tender has also gone out for the contracting of eight ground cargo aircraft, four light transport and firefighting helicopters and another four semi-heavy transport and firefighting helicopters for the next five years, with a budget of 62.5 million euros.

Infoca has 23 forest defence centres, in addition to ten forest defence sub-centres, three reinforcement brigade bases and nine airstrips for emergency aircraft. There are also three private bases, as well as 195 surveillance points and 88 water intake points for helicopters.

During the high-risk period, Plan Infoca operated 44 aerial resources, the highest number in the history of the operation. Of these, a total of 37 are provided by the Junta (23 helicopters and 14 aircraft).

With an investment of 27 million euros, a new radio network will also boost radio communications. Infoca used the new fire response management platform for the first time, to which all operational personnel are connected. The information management platform stores cartography, sketches, positioning of those involved, updates fire data, among other capacities, which makes it possible to have all the information readily available in the event of an emergency.

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