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.
The City Police also runs a special operation in the woodland area of the park, with a joint preventive patrol by the territorial units for Sarrià – Sant Gervasi, Horta-Guinardó and Nou Barris, who are tasked with coordinating control for the whole area.
The forestry patrols take a uniform approach and have specific skills and knowledge on forest fires. They use cars all-terrain vehicles, with the mounted unit of the corps also playing a part. Night patrols by the City Police are tasked with provisional checks and control in the area, using conventional patrol means.
All the officers with territorial units are familiar with the access routes and fastest paths for emergency teams to take in case on an environmental incident, as well as action plans should they be necessary.
The goals for woodland patrols are basically as follows:
- Detect and control activities in the city’s woodland areas which may affect flora and fauna or the environmental balance of this public space.
- Local patrols in the least populated areas to be aware of the specific needs of residents and offer services and assistance.
- Prevention of fires started.
- Minimise the scope of incidents occurring by chance (accidental fires, snowfalls in winter etc.).
- Provide assistance for people who get lost or suffer accidents in forest areas: locating them and facilitating the work of medical or rescue teams.
- Control ilegal dumping.
- Control access points to the Tibidabo Amusement Park, particularly on non-working days.