€5.28 Million Invested in Forest Fire Preparedness
The Diputació de Barcelona will spend €5.28 million this year to strengthen forest fire prevention infrastructure across the province. The funding supports the maintenance of 2,853 kilometres of forest tracks in 275 municipalities and improvement works in 72 towns. This investment ensures emergency services can reach remote woodland areas quickly during wildfires. Poor road conditions can delay firefighting units, turning small blazes into major incidents.
Maintenance and Infrastructure Upgrades
Of the total budget, €3.28 million is allocated to routine maintenance of forest roads. These works include clearing vegetation, repairing drainage ditches, and resurfacing tracks to keep them passable year-round. Maintenance cycles occur every three to four years, with additional interventions triggered by deteriorating conditions. The remaining €2 million funds structural upgrades in 72 municipalities. Projects include reinforcing road surfaces for safer passage of fire engines and building or repairing reservoirs and water tanks used by firefighting aircraft and ground crews.
The time it takes to respond is crucial when a wildfire breaks out. If vehicles cannot access affected areas due to poor road conditions, a controllable fire can become a disaster.
Ongoing Support Through the PPI Programme
These actions are part of the Programme d’Infraestructures Territorials de Prevenció d’Incendis Forestals (PPI), managed by the Oficina Tècnica de Prevenció Municipal d’Incendis Forestals i Desenvolupament Agrari (OTPMIFDA) since 1996. The PPI also provides technical support to local councils in developing and updating municipal fire prevention plans, which are mandatory in high-risk areas. In 2025, the programme helped update 43 municipal prevention plans. It also funded maintenance on 2,667 km of forest roads and supported 55 towns in upgrading critical sections of their access networks. Work under the PPI continues throughout the year, not just during summer. This long-term strategy includes public awareness campaigns, fuel reduction through vegetation management, and protecting residential zones bordering forests. Residents and local authorities can find detailed information about current projects and risk planning in the Pla d’informació i vigilància contra incendis forestals 2026.
Primary sources: Diputació de Barcelona, mayencoam, diba.cat, seuelectronica.diba.cat. Reported by Redacció, lavanguardia.com, Arnau Raimundo, César Martínez, elcontrapunt.cat.
