The Government commits to having a fire prevention plan in Els Ports before the end of the year.

BarcelonaThe Government is committed to completing the fire prevention plan for the Els Ports Natural Park, which has been affected by the fire that broke out last week in Paüls, before the end of this year. The government has adopted this measure after it became known that this protected area does not have a prevention plan, although it should have had one 39 years ago according to Decree 78/1986. It is part of a series of measures to prevent new fires and restore land already damaged by fire. The Government also plans to complete a prevention plan for the Mas de Melons Nature Reserve by the first quarter of 2026 at the latest, as explained by the spokesperson and Minister of Territory, Silvia Paneque, at the press conference following the Executive Council meeting.

Specifically, at Tuesday's government meeting, the use of the €10 million contingency fund reserve available to the Government to implement various prevention measures was approved. In addition to speeding up the development of fire prevention plans that some natural parks still lack, the Catalan government also plans to hire more personnel and machinery for the public company Forestal Catalana so they can carry out more restoration and recovery work in the areas affected by the recent fires.

In addition, the government also wants to reinforce the Special Forest Fire Prevention Group (GEPIF) with three units (representing 36 personnel) to focus the service on the Segarra region, the Terres de l'Ebre region, and the southern Girona region. This team is responsible for clearing strategic areas to minimize damage in the event of a fire.

Before the summer campaign, it is essential that the forests, margins and fields arecleared of weeds, debris and dry woodto prevent any small fires, fueled by wind and high temperatures, from complicating firefighting efforts. However, according to 2024 data from the Catalan Forest Observatory (OFC), of the more than 2 million hectares of forested land in Catalonia, only just over 30% have a planning tool that outlines fire prevention actions.

More aid

The Catalan government has also pledged to expedite the approval of the 2026-2036 General Forest Policy Plan, which should govern forest management in Catalonia. Paneque also explained that the government has set a goal of "recovering 1,000 hectares" by June of next year and promoting livestock and agricultural activity to prevent the "transfer" of fires from one forest area to another.

In parallel, the government has also announced that it will process aid for Forest Defense Groups (ADF) operations by 2026 for an amount of two million euros, and will incorporate a mobile unit to provide coverage to areas affected by emergency situations. The government is also extending the call for proposals to improve rural road infrastructure to ensure accessibility until 2029 to €28 million (previously €20 million). A €50 million loan facility will also be launched to address emergency situations.