The City Council of Las Rozas has completed the clearing campaign with 53 workers and has activated the Municipal Emergency Action Plan for Forest Fires (PAMIF), which incorporates surveillance drones. The high-risk period extends until September 30.
The City Council of Las Rozas has concluded the clearing campaign that the municipality prepares each year for the summer fire season. The work, carried out by the Department of Environment and City Services, has mobilised 53 workers equipped with 47 manual brush cutters, two clearing tractors, and four seat-mounted brush cutters. The aim: to reduce herbaceous and shrub vegetation to a maximum height of 10 centimetres in a 30-metre perimeter strip next to buildings and urban plots.
Drones and active surveillance since June 15
The main campaign concluded on June 15, although teams continue to conduct reviews in critical points. Furthermore, the Municipal Emergency Action Plan for Forest Fires (PAMIF), developed by the Department of Emergencies and Security led by David Santos, is now in effect. This document defines the organisational and functional framework to tackle high-risk situations, including the available human and material resources.
The big novelty this year is the incorporation of drones into surveillance. The Local Police have installed two automatic drones with programmed flights on the roof of their building, and two other units in police vehicles. Thirty officers have received specific training for their operation, focused on both citizen safety and fire prevention. The drones allow for continuous and real-time surveillance of forest areas, something that was previously done only with ground patrols.
Civil Protection and safety strips on roads
The Civil Protection Group of Las Rozas also joins the operation with its forest fire unit. Their all-terrain vehicles and forest pump will patrol the natural areas of the municipality during the months of highest risk. The forest actions included in the PAMIF also involve creating strips 10 metres wide on each side of roads with vehicle traffic and pedestrian paths, following the guidelines of INFOMA.
The City Council reminds that the high fire risk period extends until September 30. During this time, residents must take extra precautions: not throwing cigarette butts or making bonfires, and keeping private plots clean. In case of emergency, the single phone number is 112.
For the residents of Las Rozas, the activation of the plan means a greater sense of security, but also a call for individual responsibility. The City Council insists that prevention is everyone's task, and reminds that any inquiries about the use of fire can be directed to the email usofuego@madrid.org or the free phone number 900 720 300. The municipal resident assistance phone number 010 is also available.
On the municipal website, recommendations in case of forest fires and measures to take during heatwaves can be consulted. The combination of clearing, drones, and ground surveillance makes Las Rozas one of the best-prepared municipalities in the western area to face the summer.
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