Catalonia deploys extensive resources to combat summer wildfires
The Catalan government has announced a comprehensive wildfire prevention and response plan for the summer season, involving 4,507 firefighters comprising 2,930 professionals and 1,577 volunteers supported by 32 crewed aerial vehicles and 25 advanced drones equipped with artificial intelligence.
Núria Parlon, Minister of Interior and Public Security, unveiled the campaign in Sabadell, highlighting that while Catalonia’s forests remain in generally good condition, the combination of accumulated dry vegetation and the heat following three years of drought raises concerns about potential fire risks. Parlon emphasized the paradox of recent rains, which promote vegetation growth but also increase fire hazards as that vegetation dries out. According to Agents Rurals, 28% of trees have died in some areas due to drought, heightening fire risks.
The forecast predicts a hotter summer than last year, with particularly warm temperatures expected in June. Despite this, the Firefighters of the Generalitat expect a typical fire season. The campaign features increased personnel, including 133 more professional firefighters and 266 additional volunteers compared to last year.
Additional reinforcements include 474 personnel spread across emergency regions, 48 drivers, 30 technical specialists managing coordination centers, eight helicopter maintenance experts, and two communication specialists to enhance information dissemination.
Regarding equipment, the firefighting forces will operate 32 crewed aircraft 27 based in Catalonia and five managed by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge. These include six command helicopters, ten water-dropping helicopters, and three rescue helicopters, along with 11 surveillance and attack planes and two amphibious firefighting planes. The 25 drones deployed are cutting-edge models featuring AI for specialized night monitoring of wildfires.
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