More people visit the park in the summer and the risk of fire is greater. There were nine fires last year, affecting over 0.2 hectares of land.
The Barcelona Fire Service has activated its annual summer campaign to carry out preventive work against fires in the areas of the Collserola Natural Park which belong to the city, a total of nearly 1,800 hectares around the districts of Les Corts, Sarrià – Sant Gervasi, Horta-Guinardó and Nou Barris. The campaign will run until mid-September.
The pre-campaign period began at the end of April and on 28 May the Vallvidrera fire station became operative to achieve quicker access to the woodlands and cut the response time in the case of a fire. Over this period, the fire service has carried out prevention tasks and is now at its maximum campaign level with the arrival of the hottest months.
Preventive work is being carried out in three basic areas of coverage for the Collserola mountain range, with daily sorties:
- Vallvidrera Fire Station, between the Forat del Vent hilltop and Carretera de Santa Creu d’Olorda.
- Vall d’Hebron and Eixample Fire Stations, in the areas around Carretera de les Aigües, Carretera de Vallvidrera and the neighbourhood on the north side of the tunnel.
- Sant Andreu Fire Station, in the area around Carretera Alta de les Roquetes, Torre Baró, Carretera del Cementiri and Ciutat Meridiana.
Teams will carry out two types of ongoing action:
- Daily reconnaissance and routes: checks on access routes, identification or tracks and their condition and checks on fire hydrants and water resources.
- Preventive watches, activated in line with pre-established alerts according to wind speeds, relative humidity and average temperature. When activated, fixed watchpoints are set up and staffed during the hours when the risk of fire is greatest.
Drills are carried out in the forest area and the City Police also activate an operation in woodland areas in the districts involved, with preventive patrols in mountain neighbourhoods through day and night shifts.
The City Council has also started a media campaign this year, aimed at people living in or visiting woodland areas, to help keep them free of fire and help ensure they are used correctly. The campaign also explains how to act in the case of a forest fire.
How to protect ourselves against forest fire?
Most fires in Collserola are caused by human activity. As a result, our actions when we are in the forest play a key role in preventing forest fires.
- No throwing or discarding anything which could cause a fire (cigarette butts, matches, fireworks etc.) in or near woodlands.
- From 15 March to 15 October, it is prohibited to carry out any work which could generate sparks within 500 metres of woodlands. This includes barbeques and burning waste. Only brick or stone barbeques are allowed, with fireguards and three enclosed walls reaching the fireguard, providing there is no express prohibition. Anybody having a barbeque must clear up the ashes properly.
- Fireguards must be used with chimneys.
- No type of waste must be left in woodlands. This may be a source of ignition.
Check here to find out what to do in the case of a forest fire or how to look after the surroundings of your house if you live near woodlands.