The Sustainability and Environment Councilor of the Andalusian Government, Catalina García, has emphasized that the Andalusian Government «has undertaken a profound transformation in the way of approaching forest protection, marking a before and after», with an unprecedented investment of 211 million euros during the 2024-2025 biennium, of which 28 million have been specifically allocated to preventive forestry projects in public forests of protected natural areas and their surrounding areas. «We have multiplied by six -617% more- the investment in prevention compared to previous governments,» she specified, «and thus, we have gone from the 3.9 million allocated to this area in 2018, to the 28 million mobilized for this year.»
In her appearance before the Plenary of the Parliament, Catalina García has defended the forest policy of the Andalusian Government. In this regard, she has insisted that a total of 60 projects have been executed or are underway in this line, as «a strategy for the territory, the future, and the protection of the common good.» «Prevention is no longer an option, but a strategic obligation to protect our natural heritage, our rural economies, and, ultimately, our future as a community,» she concluded.
In this context, she has highlighted a fact that she has been offering since assuming the responsibilities of the Sustainability and Environment portfolio: «Andalusia has more than 4.3 million hectares of forested area, of which more than two million, a third of the total territory of the region, are under some form of environmental protection.» Therefore, she warned that «our natural and national parks are not only biodiversity reserves, but also act as natural barriers against climate change and drive rural development in surrounding municipalities.» And in this sense, she did not hesitate to affirm that «climate change has intensified the recurrence, duration, and intensity of forest fires, which obliges us to redouble efforts in prevention, planning, and restoration.»
During her intervention, she enumerated, among the actions carried out, the silvicultural treatments in more than 13,000 hectares, the opening and maintenance of 1,500 kilometers of firebreaks, the rehabilitation of more than 300 kilometers of forest roads, and the installation of new strategic water points. «These measures – she emphasized – not only reduce the risk of fire, but also generate rural employment, boost the green economy, and strengthen the resilience of the territory to face the challenges posed by climate change.»
«All the interventions we carry out in fire prevention are framed within the Andalusian Forest Strategy 2030,» Catalina García specified, adding that «this strategy establishes a specific operational program for the prevention and fight against forest fires.» She mentioned that they have started approving and updating the Forest Fire Prevention Plans (PPIF) in each of the public forests and protected areas, as well as the approval and monitoring of the execution of these plans in privately owned forests. «Plans detailing the necessary work for each area according to its topographic, ecological, social, and climatic characteristics,» according to García.
She also referred to the draft Andalusian Forestry Law, currently in progress, emphasizing «that it incorporates specific regulations on forest fire prevention for the first time,» so she stated that «this new law will allow for better coordination and a more modern and effective forest management.»
Likewise, she emphasized technological innovation as a key ally in the fight against fire, stating that Andalusia leads the nation in the application of digitalization and remote sensing tools, with remote sensors, thermal cameras, satellite images from the European program ‘Copernicus,’ and predictive models based on artificial intelligence. «A digital platform for preventive forest management has been created, allowing for transparent and efficient planning, execution, and monitoring of work,» she added.
Restoring to rebuild
Regarding post-fire restoration, Catalina García was straightforward: «When a fire ravages our forests, it not only burns trees. It burns fertile soil, biodiversity, and the future. Restoring is rebuilding hope.» Therefore, she pointed out that, since 2019, 2.5 million trees have been planted in public Andalusian forests and 27 public-private collaboration projects to reforest an additional 2,500 hectares have been promoted. In addition, restoration actions have been carried out after 12 major forest fires, with a total investment of 31.7 million euros in almost 66,000 hectares.
Similarly, she highlighted the role of cattle routes as green infrastructures that act as natural firebreaks and for ecological connectivity. Over the past six years, actions have been taken on more than 1,500 kilometers of this network, with an investment close to 70 million euros, compared to the 3 million invested in 2018. «It’s a matter of priorities,» concluded the councilor, who also referred to environmental volunteer programs, dissuasive surveillance, training for livestock farmers and forest owners, and awareness campaigns on social media, local media, and interpretation centers.
For Catalina García, the fact that in 2023 and 2024, despite adverse meteorological conditions, Andalusia has significantly reduced the burned forest area compared to the average of the last decade, «largely demonstrates that better preventive management has been carried out and a greater capacity for anticipation has been achieved.»
The councilor concluded her intervention by emphasizing that, despite adverse meteorological conditions, Andalusia has significantly reduced the burned forest area compared to the average of the last decade. «Every hectare protected, every fire prevented is a victory for Andalusia. That is why this government will continue to firmly support prevention as the main tool for forest protection. Because protecting our natural parks is protecting our roots, our economy, our landscape, and our future,» she concluded.
The INFOCA Plan 2025, with the largest budget in history
Catalina García wanted to acknowledge the work of the INFOCA device, which now depends on the Andalusian Emergency Agency (EMA), attached to the Ministry of the Presidency, Interior, Social Dialogue, and Administrative Simplification, and which this year has a record budget of 257 million euros, an 8% increase from 2024, as well as a deployment of 4,700 professionals.
Thus, she specified that the fleet of personnel transport has been renewed, with 282 new vehicles, representing an investment of 20 million over four years. «A device that has 108 forest fire engines, a fleet that has been renewed by 75%, with an investment of 25.4 million euros,» she stated, «40 air resources, for which 26 million euros have been allocated, and a public platform has been launched for real-time monitoring of fire risk, within the framework of the European project ‘Hurricane’.»
«In addition to the 45.4 million euros mobilized for vehicles, we must add the investment in infrastructure, with an unprecedented figure exceeding 165 million euros since 2020,» she revealed, listing some such as the new Cedefo in El Pedroso, Seville (4.7 million euros), the 10 sub-Cedefos built in recent years, or those about to be inaugurated.