Prohens, together with the councillor Joan Simonet, also took advantage of the visit to Son Bonet airport to learn about the new campaign to raise awareness of the risk of fire.
She called for maximum caution in the use of fire and thanked all the personnel who form part of the inter-island forest fire operation for their hard work.
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The equipment and resources deployed for the 2024 campaign against forest fires in the Balearic Islands
The President of the Government of the Balearic Islands, Margalida Prohens, accompanied by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Environment, Joan Simonet, presented today at the Son Bonet airport in Marratxí, the teams and resources that will be deployed in the Balearic Islands to deal with forest fires during the 2024 campaign. A total of 350 people, including staff from the Balearic Institute of Nature (IBANAT), the Forest Management Service and environmental agents, among others, make up the inter-island operation against forest fires (OIIF) of the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Environment. This operation is activated throughout the year, but reaches its maximum deployment during the period of high danger for forest fires, declared from April 1 in the Pitiusas and from April 15 in the rest of the islands (Mallorca and Menorca), and is expected to last until 15 October.
The president recalled that, with maximum prevention, this year there have already been a total of 42 forest fires that have burned almost 70 hectares in the Balearic Islands. The most serious was the fire in s’Albufera, which burned up to 50 hectares of reeds just a fortnight ago. “We are aware that the risk is real, that we could suffer major fires like those that affect other areas of the Mediterranean every summer. We have to be on maximum alert,’ he insisted.
The aerial resources for fighting forest fires that will be available for this year’s campaign are five helicopter bombers (with the capacity to transport fighters) and three aircraft (two amphibious water-dropping planes and a coordination and surveillance plane) positioned at bases in Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza. In addition, as usual, the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge is expected to deploy two more aircraft (a cargo plane on the ground at Son Bonet and a Canadair, already operational at Pollença, Mallorca), which will reinforce and complement the operation.
Prohens – who thanked ‘the great and essential work’ carried out by the entire team that forms part of the inter-island forest fire operation – pointed out that ‘more than 90% of the causes of forest fires are of human origin; therefore, it is essential for the population to take extreme precautions in the face of fire to prevent a disaster of this kind from affecting our islands’.
It should be remembered that the OIIF has the capacity to intervene on all the islands. In addition, it is joined by the rest of the organisations that make up INFOBAL (island fire brigades, civil protection, personnel from the Directorate General for Emergencies, Local Police, Civil Guard, UME, etc.). This 2024 campaign has seen the implementation of technological and operational improvements, most of which are the result of the recently awarded contract for aerial resources for the defence against forest fires. Thus, the most relevant novelties for this year are the incorporation of a new amphibious aircraft in Mallorca with loading capacity at sea, which allows for a more effective attack on the fire, and the installation of new ground cameras for fire surveillance with 360° vision, among others.
This year, the presentation of equipment and resources was also used to announce the new awareness campaign against forest fires, focused on raising awareness among the local population and tourists who visit the archipelago or live there, to exercise extreme caution in recreational use and activities that could pose a fire hazard. In this regard, the President of the Government once again called for maximum caution in the use of fire and stressed that the ‘Balearic Islands could suffer major forest fires like those that affect other areas of the Mediterranean every summer, endangering people and destroying the landscape’.
For his part, councillor Simonet pointed out that ‘in the face of the serious threat of forest fires, it is not only necessary to have modern means to provide a rapid, effective and safe response, but it is also essential for the landscape to be prepared. For this reason, we must not let our guard down and the owners of homes located in forest-urban interface areas must create self-protection strips to guarantee their safety in a fire”. Along these lines, Simonet insisted that ‘the risk of forest fires in our archipelago is real, partly due to the flammability of the islands’ own vegetation, which is also aggravated by the extreme conditions of climate change. That is why we want to send out, once again, this message of maximum prudence and caution”.
In addition to the President of the Government and Minister Simonet, the presentation ceremony was also attended by the Director General of Natural Environment and Forest Management, Anna Torres; the Director General of Emergencies, Sebastià Sureda; the Mayor of Marratxí, Jaume Llompart; the Councillor for Public Safety of Palma, Miquel Busquets; the manager of IBANAT, Tomeu Llabrés; the Mallorca island councillor of Finance and Public Function, Rafel Àngel Bosch; the island director of Emergencies, Joan Fornàs; the director of the 112 Emergency Centre, Eduardo Parga, and the head of the Mallorca Fire Department, Pedro Ladaria.
Forest fires in 2024
This year there have been 42 forest fires, which have burned some 69.42 hectares in the Balearic Islands, the vast majority of which have been cleared (62.45 hectares).
By islands, it should be noted that most fires (28) have occurred in Mallorca, followed by twelve fires in Ibiza, one in Menorca and one in Formentera.
Most of these fires have been minor (less than one hectare in size), although the fires in Santa Eulària des Riu stand out, with 1.05 hectares affected; the one in Son Serra (es Mercadal), which burned 7.5 hectares; the one in Costa des Pins (Son Servera), with 4.18 hectares affected, and the recent one in s’Albufera de Mallorca, with 50.4 hectares of forest burned. It should be remembered that since last April it has been forbidden to light fires in forest land and within 50 metres of it, as well as in all the recreational areas of the archipelago. On the other hand, it is necessary to request administrative authorisation to burn in agricultural land within 500 metres of forest land. You can consult the recommendations, the applicable regulations and the daily regulations on the use of fire on the website alertafoc.caib.es.