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The 20 volunteers who form part of the Protección Civil forest surveillance team in the municipality of Murcia are continuing with work to identify the parts of central Murcia’s natural parks that are most vulnerable to wildfires, to try and reduce the likelihood of devastating incendios this summer.

 

It comes after a fire roared through the countryside near Altaona on Wednesday July 17.

 

On this occasion, the two areas that have been mapped are the enclaves of the Finca de Naveta in Corvera and around the Caracolero in the district of Gea y Truyols.

 

Murcia’s Councillor for Public Safety and Emergencies, Fulgencio Perona, together with the president of the Municipal Council of Corvera, María del Mar García, and president of the Municipal Council of Gea y Truyols, María José Rodríguez, along with Civil Protection experts, visited the areas at greatest risk of forest fires in these districts which have natural areas of great ecological value.

 

During their visits, the technicians, the Department of Public Safety and the presidents of the municipal councils have reviewed the history of fires in each district and the most vulnerable points have been identified and documented with maps and photographs.

 

Due to the mountainous nature of these areas, both the valley of Carrascoy and the natural enclaves of the district of Gea y Truyols are considered a natural and historical border between Murcia and the Mar Menor, hence their ecological and strategic value when dealing with possible fires.

 

This preventive surveillance device is part of the Forestry Brigade of the City Council of Murcia which is made up of about 80 agents from the Local Police, Fire Brigade and Civil Protection with the aim of acting in a coordinated manner in case of fire in the 59 Forest Parks and Municipal Estates, which cover a total area of 2,296 hectares.

 

Civil Protection has put in place a volunteer system for the protection of these areas, with two Mobile Forest Surveillance units being sent out on a daily basis to reinforce the prevention and early detection of forest fires.

 

Each of these units is made up of a pair of emergency operators and a 4x4 vehicle equipped to enter areas that are difficult to access.

 

The City Council’s Forestry Brigade will be active until 31 October, when the risk of forest fires is reduced.

 

Images: Ayuntamiento de Murcia