Barcelona has stepped up its forest fire defences for Collserola, the mountain range that borders several of the city’s districts. The new campaign includes a seasonal fire station, extra prevention work, drone support and a major drill in Torre Baró.
Deputy Mayor Albert Batlle and Sebastià Massagué, head of the Civil Protection, Fire Prevention, Extinction and Rescue Service (SPCPEIS), presented the plan today. The Vallvidrera Park fire station will be open from 16 May to 12 September, giving crews faster access to the forest and improving response times. Last year, the Barcelona Fire Service added five vehicles to its forest fire campaign, four pick-up all-terrain vehicles and an advanced life support ambulance adapted for forest settings.
Pre-campaign work began in April, with extra prevention tasks in Collserola and the urban-forest edge. The city says the focus has been on Les Corts, Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, Horta-Guinardó, Nou Barris and Gràcia, which sit close to the massif. The service is also checking operational infrastructure and making repairs where needed so crews can respond quickly if a fire starts.
The SPCPEIS will also use drones to support operations, improve safety and give teams a better real-time view of fire behaviour. Barcelona City Council is also running information sessions in mountain districts to remind residents how to prevent fires and what to do if one breaks out near homes. From 15 March to 15 October, it is forbidden to carry out forest work or any activity that could create sparks within 500 metres of forest areas, including burning waste or using barbecues.
At the same time, the city’s Parks and Gardens department is maintaining fire prevention strips in Collserola. The work covers 346 hectares and has a budget of about €400,000. It includes clearing undergrowth and managing vegetation to reduce the risk of ignition and spread. Forest management work is also under way at Strategic Management Points, which are meant to lower the massif’s vulnerability in specific fire scenarios and give intervention teams more options.
This evening, Torre Baró will host a forest fire drill to test coordination in an urban-forest interface area. The exercise involves the Barcelona Fire Service, the Generalitat Fire Service, the Urban Guard, the Mossos d’Esquadra, SEM, Rural Agents, CUESB, the Collserola Park Consortium and the Forest Defence Associations (ADF). It will include extinction, command and support vehicles, plus an Advanced Command Centre (CCA). For more on local emergency planning, see our Community coverage and Sport updates.
Originally published by Barcelona City Council Press Room. Official press release
