The government delegate in Extremadura, José Luis Quintana, visited today the region of Las Hurdes where he took the opportunity to have a meeting with representatives of the beekeeping sector of this region of Extremadura, as well as to know the troops and air resources of the BRIF in the base of Pinofranqueado. Quintana has highlighted the importance of continuing to work to take care of our environmental heritage and activities related to the forest environment, such as beekeeping, as not only economic sources of the region, but also as a guarantee of the future for this area and its inhabitants.
On this first institutional visit, the government delegate began the day at the headquarters of the Civil Guard of Caminomorisco, where he thanked his commanders and agents for the work they carry out to guarantee citizen security in rural areas. From there he has moved to the cooperative society of Apihurdes, where he has had the opportunity to press and know the concerns and needs of professionals in the beekeeping sector, given that Extremadura is the second region in Spain in honey production and its derivatives.
Despite the difficulties experienced by some farms, Quintana has highlighted the importance of beekeeping in an area such as Las Hurdes, a sector that is experiencing a moment of growth and expansion both in the region and inside and outside Spain. An activity that also links with the potential of Las Hurdes tourism as an element of economic development and growth through the use of its natural resources.
An environmental heritage that has been punished in recent years as a result of the summer fires that affected this region of Extremadura. In order to deal with this type of situation, the Spanish Government has deployed in Extremadura a significant number of troops and air assets. One of these devices is the BRIF (Forest Fire Reinforcement Brigade) of Pinofranqueado. The government delegate visited the facilities accompanied by the Deputy Director-General for Forestry Policy and Combating Desertification of the Ministry of Ecological Transition, Elsa Enríquez.
During his visit, Quintana has announced an investment of six million euros in the facilities of the BRIF of Pinofranqueado. This action is part of the investment plan that the Government is carrying out in the 10 operational BRIFs in Spain, with a budget of 53 million euros.
This fire brigade depends on the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge and is included in the prevention and extinguishment service that the latter commissions to the Tragsa Group. The delegate recalled that it is part of the resources that the State makes available to the Junta de Extremadura against forest fires, in addition to the air media and the troops of the Civil Guard. He has also detailed that the BRIF of Pinofranqueado not only acts in the territory of Extremadura, but also meets requirements in which its participation in neighboring communities is considered necessary.