The work has focused on a total surface area of 52 hectares.
The councillor for the Environment and Territory, Miquel Mir, visited Clot des Guix, in Alaró, where a forest fire prevention strip has been built over an area of one hectare considered a ‘critical point’ under the 4th General Forest Fire Prevention Plan.
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This is one of the actions included in the project ‘Treatment of plant fuel in strategic management points (PEG) against the risk of forest fires’, funded with €456,630 from the Sustainable Tourism Tax (ITS).
The plan, which began in September 2021, has led to the creation of a total of 21 strips on 52.5 hectares in Mallorca, Menorca and Eivissa. The work consisted of reducing the fuel load and eliminating the vertical and horizontal continuity of the vegetation to reduce the danger of fire in the event of a forest fire. The work has focused on the PEG or critical points established in the IV General Plan for the Prevention of Forest Fires. A PEG is an area where a fire can gain strength due to the orography of the terrain, such as valleys, mountain ridges and crests.
In Eivissa, 20.5 hectares of forest land in Sant Joan (Es Murtar) have been created in 20.5 hectares. In Mallorca, 20 hectares were distributed among the municipalities of Pollença (Coll de Formentor), Artà (Sa Duaia, Es Verger and El Campament dels soldats), Bunyola (Sa Comuna), Manacor (Sa Carrotxova) and Escorca (Míner Gran). Meanwhile in Menorca, prevention work has been carried out on 12 hectares in Ciutadella (Algaiarens), Es Mercadal (s’Albufera and Son Alzina), Maó (Santa Catalina Capell de Ferro and Binifabini), Alaior (Son Blanc), and Ferreries (Alforí).
The councillor pointed out that despite the high risk of forest fires, “it is never too late to work on prevention and protection of the territory in order to reduce the risk in the event of a forest fire. This work makes it possible to establish an effective defence strategy, while at the same time facilitating the access of extinguishing means when necessary”.
This project is in addition to the work of the Forest Management Service’s ‘Actions for the fragmentation of the risk of forest fires and extension of the network of defence areas’ project. The plan has an investment of 324,977€ and consists of carrying out habitat maintenance tasks, such as pruning and weeding, which are priority works according to the Forestry Plan.
The tasks, which are currently underway, are expected to cover 15 hectares in Eivissa, 14 hectares in Mallorca and 7.5 hectares in Menorca, with the aim of reducing the fragmentation risk index, i.e. increasing the areas where the territory is compartmentalised in order to reduce plant continuity.