Cantabria has exceeded the most critical months – from November to April – in forest fireshe “99 percent»Of them intended by the belief that the fire regenerates the grass and fueled by the south wind, with A provisional balance of 392 fires and 2,800 hectares burned so far from 2025.
“We have not gone out of hand,” highlights the general director of Montes and Biodiversity of the Cantabrian Government, Ángel Serdio.
Despite having 1 percent of the national territory, Cantabria usually ends the year with 14-15 % of the burned surface of the country as a whole. That figure is reduced this year to about 10 %.
The Cantabrian Executive has not had to activate until April the emergency level by forest fires nor has it needed the help of external media such as the Military Emergency Unit. «It has been a bearable campaign«, Considers Serdio.
In 2024 there were a total of 522 fires and a burned surface of 9,800 hectares
Contrary to what can happen in more Mediterranean areas in Spain or in Portugal, where they usually become large forest fires In summer, Cantabria suffers every year the effects of fire in winter and early spring.
These forest fires are small, recurring, mainly affect the scrub And they advance pending towards the summit, which hinders its extinction.
The main foci of forest fires during those months are the Pasiega and Nansa area.
“99.9 percent” are caused by incendiary that take advantage of the conditions of strong southern winds of this era for «A erroneous belief that fire helps to regenerate grass«, Laments Serdio.
And points out that Controlled burning, authorized by the Administration, are a good tool, because they burn a scrub to regenerate grass and also “help minimize fires.”
«However, in a bad way, to the beast and without any control the opposite effect occurs«, He warns.
Last year there were 7 detainees and in two years they have identified 50 presumed responsible for forest fires
The work of the incendiary is complicated when May arrivessince the ‘surrounded’ -episodes of strong southern wind -are so frequent, the vegetation is already green and the cattle goes out to the mountain.
In the subsequent months-from June to September-, on the other hand, it is more likely that fires will be registered in the area of Campoo-Los Valleles and in Liébana, which are calmer during the rest of the year, in line with the rest of the country.
The fires in these regions are not intentionally, Matiza Matiza, and can be derived from rays, sparks, carelessness or recklessness.
The Rural Development Ministry collaborates with security forces in forest fire investigation. Last year in Cantabria there were 7 detainees for this cause and in the last two years it has been possible to identify 50 alleged firemen, with nine convictions.
There are currently “a couple of files” of open investigation, although the general director recognizes that it is “very difficult” to locate the causes because “the mountain is a fairly uncontrollable territory” and you have to catch them “with your hands in the dough” to be able to attribute the crime.
“The work is better, more effective and increasingly located and opening files against these people,” he values.
A specific department to address forest fires
After underlineing the efforts of the regional government by provide both personnel and personnel to the operation of Extinction of forest firesSerdio acknowledges that Cantabria is still “a bit out of play” in terms of management and administration.
«We are the only autonomous community that does not have a specific department of forest fires«, Emphasizes.
Therefore, the Executive raises the Creation of a structure that supports the entire deployment of media in the fight against forest fires That, as Serdio progresses, it will be rigged with more specific personnel than right now. EFE / ECOTICIAS.com