Best practice in the natural environment
No fires in the forest!
Fires in unprepared areas or during fire risk seasons can lead to catastrophe. Follow the regulations and only make fires in designated areas and during permissible seasons. Consult relevant information before lighting any fires.
Problems it can cause
More than half of the surface of Catalonia consists of forested land. Forests serve many ecological functions: they regulate water availability, provide oxygen, offer refuge to many species of flora and fauna, and reduce water erosion in the soil. Additionally,, forests have been and still are a way of life for many people.
The increase in people in the natural environment, coupled with climate change and land use changes, has led to an increase in the number of fires in recent decades. This poses a conservation threat to forest ecosystems and a serious threat to the property, and even the lives, of many people.
The presence of people in a natural area during high fire risk periods can result in firefighters or rural agents having to rescue these individuals, diverting resources from firefighting efforts.
Best practices
A significant portion of wildfires result from human activity. Therefore, it is everyone’s responsibility to follow a set of guidelines to prevent them:
- Stay informed about the current fire situation and be aware of the regulations: Catalonia has the Alpha Plan (Pla Alfa), an operational procedure established by the Corps of Rural Agents for monitoring, prevention and control of risky activities in situations of forest fire danger. Various activities are regulated depending on the level of danger.
- Respect access restrictions to natural areas with Alpha Plan risk level 3.
- Properly extinguish cigarette butts and matches; do not throw them on the ground. Take them with you and dispose of them in the rubbish. Discarding cigarette butts is one of the main causes of fires in our country.
- Collect your waste and dispose of in the appropriate containers. Especially, do not abandon bottles or other glass objects that can cause spontaneous combustion.
- Do not drive off authorised paths and do not park on dry grass.
- Bring prepared food from home; cooking, even with a portable stove, can pose a risk.
- Only light fires in authorised areas, always considering the fire danger level and active regulations. After finishing, take care to extinguish the fire properly and prevent any remaining embers from reigniting.
- Do not throw firecrackers, rockets or other fire-containing devices in high-risk areas, especially near wooded areas.
- In the event you see a forest fire or a column of smoke, call 112.
Associated resources
Video #NaturalBalance: waste, littering and vandalism in natural spaces – DACC
Fire prevention and self-protectin measures – Agents Rurals
Fire risk maps – DACC
Pla Alfa map– Agents Rurals
Campaign “Foc Off” – Agents Rurals