The deputy delegate of the Government in A Coruña, María Rivas, highlighted “the firm involvement of the Government of Spain in making available the necessary resources to deal with forest fires”. This was expressed at the meeting held this morning in the Provincial Police Coordination Committee against forest fires.
“The government device is prepared to act with maximum speed and effectiveness where an emergency occurs, ensuring a swift and coordinated response,” added María Rivas.
During the meeting, María Rivas reaffirmed the support of the Government of Spain in the fight against fire through the deployment of personal, air and technological means that are already prepared to act in this summer campaign. The subdelegate stressed that “this commitment is based on loyal collaboration between administrations and the effective coordination of available resources, with the aim of achieving the best possible response in both the prevention and the extinguishment of fires.”
According to the subdelegate, the device includes about 4,000 troops, including the Military Emergency Unit (UME), the Civil Guard, the Forest Fire Reinforcement Brigade (BRIF) of Laza and comprehensive prevention teams (EPRIF), the Northern Third of the Navy and Land Army, the Civil Guard and the National Police.
As in previous campaigns, it is planned to deploy a dozen air assets—including aircraft, helicopters, light and reconnaissance units—that will operate throughout the summer and, in some cases, will continue in service until October 31. In the technological field, he pointed out that, in addition to the 30 drones that will carry out surveillance tasks, the UME terrestrial attack drone will be operational. Along with them, the Xunta will be able to access the images of the Copernicus satellite surveillance system, through the General Directorate of Civil Protection of the Ministry of the Interior.
Subdelegate María Rivas stressed that “the campaign designed by the Government of Spain has a State character, with a coordinated and joint response throughout the territory” and that it will be able to mobilize, if circumstances require, resources from one community to another where they are necessary.
As a novelty, the Ministry of Interior will facilitate the movement of three extinguishing teams from the Netherlands and Estonia to collaborate in the operation and obtain knowledge applicable to their countries. The Galician Sentinel Operation, which will have 35 Army patrols, will also be strengthened, and the Civil Guard and National Police patrols will return to facilitate surveillance in forest areas that are difficult to access.
The deputy delegate took the opportunity “to call for the individual and collective responsibility of the citizens, especially in these months of high risk.” He also urged the municipalities “to take extreme precautions in the use of fireworks, aware of the danger they may pose in certain weather conditions. Preventing forest fires is everyone’s job.”
During the 2024 campaign, the state media intervened in 41 forest fires in Galicia, with 135 actions that represented more than 315 hours of flight, which represents 15.65% of fires attended at national level and 14.22% of hours flown with respect to the national total. The most serious fire was recorded in September in the Pontevedran municipality of Crecente, where the Military Emergency Unit, UME, was activated.
The subdelegate highlighted the loyal collaboration between the Government and the Xunta, as well as the high degree of professionalism of all the forces and bodies involved. In addition, it valued the data of 2024, in which Galicia represented only 5.54% of the affected forest area throughout the State, with 47,711.13 hectares, of which 2,643.75 hectares were affected in Galicia; in a year in which Spain recorded the lowest number of fires since 1983.
“We have very positive data, as a result of the intense work on prevention and the involvement of the State Security Forces and Corps, which are doing fundamental work both in identifying the causes of the fires and in locating the people responsible. It is also necessary to highlight the ability to respond immediately to any conato notification, as well as the excellent collaboration between the different administrations,” said the subdelegate.