The Forest Observatories (OF) of the Valencian Community are those that allow early detection of forest fires. From these OFs, the appearance of smoke and its approximate location are communicated to the provincial forest fire prevention centers.
Los OF guards are located in privileged geographical positions and can detect a fire that is occurring, in its initial phases, even if it is many kilometers away, and notify the extinguishing media. By starting extinguishing efforts as soon as possible, the probability of containing the fire is significantly greater.
Forest observatories in Valencia (after DANA)
The Minister of Environment, Infrastructure and Territory, Vicente Martínezs Mus, has announced an investment of seven million euros for a forestry observatories modernization and maintenance project of the Valencian Community.
This Friday, Martínez Mus visited the Desert de les Palmes Forest Observatory in Cabanes, where he reaffirmed the commitment of the Generalitat “with the prevention of forest fires through a network of observatories “which allows us to be at the forefront in the fight against fires that threaten our natural environment.”
The head of the Environment explained that the project includes maintenance work on the network of forestry observatories and the construction of ten new centers: six in the province of Castellón (La Pobla de Benifassà, Altura, Cinctorres, Villafranca del Cid and Montanejos); three in Valencia (Gátova, Requena and La Yesa) and one in the province of Alicante (Serrella).
During the visit he made to Cabanes, the councilor highlighted that forestry observatories “have consolidated themselves as an essential pillar in the surveillance strategy.” “Over the last decade, they have been responsible for detecting 15% of fires, underscoring their fundamental role in environmental protection”, he highlighted.
Martínez Mus has pointed out that, in parallel with the maintenance and modernization of these centers, the Ministry allocates nearly 36 million euros to the preventive surveillance service. “Monitoring the health of forests is essential not only to prevent fires, but also to ensure sustainable use of natural resources“, assured the councilor, who insisted that investing in fire prevention “not only brings us closer to a greener and healthier future, but is also key to protecting biodiversity and promoting sustainable development that benefits everyone.”
Preventive surveillance
The forestry observatories constitute key elements in the Preventive Surveillance Plan of the Valencian Community, with an annual operational calendar based on needs. They are located in areas of maximum visibility, allowing early detection at distances of up to 30 kilometers, which significantly improves response capacity in the event of possible fires.
Among its main functions are includes early location of fires, transmission of information to the prevention means and the central, the collection of meteorological data and the monitoring of storms and lightning, in addition to supporting the monitoring tasks of forest fires.