The subdelegate of the Government in Lugo, Isabel Rodríguez, has highlighted the work of the Brilat to prevent the fires in the mountains of Lugo in the second consecutive year in which ‘Operation Galician Sentinel’ arrives in the province. Isabel Rodríguez supervised this week with the leadership of the Brilat the development of the first days of the ‘Galician Sentinel Operation’ in the province. He did so in a meeting in the Subdelegation of the Government with the captain and head of Area, Jesús Manuel de Somonte, and the lieutenant of infantry, Fernando Cortés Fernández, who coordinate the Lucense deployment of these units.
In the course of the meeting, they analyzed the first days of the operation, begun on August 15, of which they highlighted the normality and the absence of notable incidents. Everyone looked at the month of September, in which, due to the experience of previous years, the risk of fires in the province increases. Thus, the subdelegate recalled that, although the operation has an end date of 30 September, it may be delayed depending on the needs.
Isabel Rodríguez thanked the members of the Brilat for the work of prevention, surveillance and deterrence they carry out against the fires, “a very important work that reconnects the Armed Forces with the society of this province.”
Southern area of the province
In this campaign, the ‘Galician Sentinel Operation’ moves to the province of Lugo a total of 4 patrols composed of personnel of the Brigade ‘Galicia’ VII (BRILAT), which operate in the mountains of the municipalities of Sober, Monforte de Lemos, Quiroga, A Pobra de Brollón, and Ribas de Sil, all belonging to the Forest District VIII of Terras de Lemos.
The four patrols are based in the town of Quiroga from where they travel daily to fire-risk areas or areas that lack civilian surveillance. At this point, they dedicated the first days of the operation to detecting and equipping deep observation points on the ground, up to 3 kilometers in visual range.
The patrols always act in coordination with the management of the Forest District, as responsible for the fire-fighting device in this region.
‘Operation Galician Sentinel’
The ‘Galician Sentinel Operation’ deploys during this summer in Galicia 25 patrols formed by personnel of the Brigade ‘Galicia’ VII (BRILAT) for the surveillance of the mountains in the provinces of Lugo, Ourense and Pontevedra, and 5 others, integrated by the marines of the Northern Third of the Navy, based in Ferrol, to operate in the south of the province of A Coruña. The surveillance covers 39 Galician municipalities, spread over just over 4,400 square kilometers.
Among the functions of these patrols are to monitor and maintain a deterrent presence in the assigned areas, provide information to the extinguishing services and notify the Security Forces and Corps of those people who may be involved in the provocation of fires.
The operation is a further demonstration of the Armed Forces’ firm commitment to supporting civil authorities and the environment