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Firefighters step up campaign in Barcelona's major green lungs
Barcelona heads into summer with more greenery, but also more risk. The rains of recent months have boosted vegetation growth in Montjuïc and Collserola, and this increase in plant mass can become fuel when temperatures rise. For this reason, the City Council has launched a reinforced forest campaign to protect two of the city's most important natural areas.
The Bomberos de Barcelona operation began on 16 May and will remain in place, if the situation permits, until the end of August. There will be a greater preventive presence, more inspection rounds and special monitoring in areas where terrain, wind and vegetation raise the risk of fire.
Last year, during the summer campaign, 15 small fires were recorded and the area burnt did not reach one hectare. The balance was positive, but emergency services insist that there is no room for complacency this year. The combination of abundant vegetation, heat and human activity can change the situation within a few days.
Collserola will also remain subject to the restrictions linked to African swine fever. Access restrictions in certain areas will continue during the summer to reduce the risk of the disease spreading. Protección Civil recalls that fewer people in sensitive areas also reduces the likelihood of fires, since a large proportion of fires originate in carelessness or human activities.
Montjuïc takes on greater weight in this year’s campaign. The fire brigade has detected an increased risk, especially on the southern slope, which is more exposed to sun, wind and areas of dry vegetation. For this reason, reconnaissance tasks have been intensified in this area, which is much frequented by residents, sportspeople and visitors.
The Vallvidrera fire station, which operates only during the forest season, is already operational. Its role will be key to responding quickly to any alert in Collserola and strengthening coordination with the rest of the municipal services.
The call to the public is clear: avoid risky behaviour, respect restrictions, do not enter closed areas and quickly report any column of smoke. In spaces such as Montjuïc and Collserola, where nature, neighbourhoods and leisure coexist only a few metres apart, a small oversight can become a serious problem within minutes.
Barcelona has few major green lungs and uses them a lot. Precisely for that reason, prevention is not only a task for the fire brigade: it also depends on how the city behaves when the heat arrives, paths fill up and every patch of shade becomes more necessary.