Girona’s Bombers say the province is heading into a complex wildfire season, with high temperatures and strong winds creating a risky combination across Catalonia’s north-east. Jordi Martín, head of the Bombers in Girona, said that this pattern has already happened twice in the area’s forests.
Officials say Alta Garrotxa and Ripollès are among the main concerns because of dead vegetation and difficult access for emergency crews. The message from the fire service is clear, public responsibility matters, and self-protection is key. A total of 760 firefighters, including professionals and volunteers, will be deployed across Girona province, supported by 84 forest auxiliaries.
Winter rain ended the structural drought affecting Girona’s forests, but it also encouraged new growth. That fine vegetation is now a concern for the Bombers and other emergency services because it is tender and sensitive to changes in temperature. If strong winds return, the amount of available fuel in the countryside could make firefighting harder.
Martín said the starting point is more favourable than in previous years because the rain has hydrated the forests. Even so, he warned that fallen trees and blocked access routes remain a problem in some areas, especially in Alta Garrotxa and Ripollès. Rural Agents also say there is a significant amount of dead fuel after recent windstorms, although they add that conditions are considerably better than in previous years.
Jaume Bosch, head of the Rural Agents in Girona, called for maximum caution during the summer, when risk rises around Sant Joan, the harvest season, and holiday periods when more people head into natural areas. He also stressed the importance of the Plan Alfa, which is activated at municipal level to allow a more targeted response and to dedicate staff to prevention and extinction work. More Catalonia news
Resources in the province include 570 professional firefighters across sixteen stations, 190 volunteer firefighters in ten stations, 84 forest auxiliaries, and a nurse based at La Pera station in Baix Empordà. Air support includes firefighting helicopters at heliports in Ordis, Bàscara, Sant Feliu de Buixalleu, and Girona’s Trueta hospital, plus two Surveillance and Attack Aircraft from the Ministry based at Empuriabrava aerodrome.
