The fire campaign for this summer in Gran Canaria is supported by a thousand personnel, a number that could rise to 2,000 in emergency situations. The Cabildo has advanced the campaign's start to June 1st, extending it until the end of October, due to the significant amount of forest fuel following heavy winter rains.
The team includes 250 members from the Operational Unit of Forest Fires, 450 from Civil Protection, and 350 from the Gran Canaria Emergency Consortium. Cabildo President Antonio Morales stated that the force could be augmented with brigades from other islands, 80 soldiers from the UME, and road personnel.
Morales described the campaign as "tough" and emphasized the importance of preparation and public awareness to prevent disasters like the one in 2019, which destroyed over 9,000 hectares. Citizen involvement, in detecting outbreaks and clearing forest areas, along with maintaining 15-meter safety strips, is crucial.
To enhance prevention, the Cabildo has tripled its budget, allocating funds from the 'Céntimo Verde Forestal'. The Department of Environment has developed the 'Gran Canaria Mosaico' strategy (2025-2028), with a nine-million-euro investment, aiming to transform cultivated fields into firebreaks. Additionally, the 'Gran Canaria Pastorea' project financially supports shepherds for prescribed grazing, promoting active land management.
Prescribed burns, conducted since winter to clear vegetation and reduce wildfire risk, are scheduled to conclude by the end of June, before the summer temperature increase.
