25/03/2026
Asturias becomes a key international meeting point for advancing sustainable strategies against forest fires.
Over five days, from March 16 to 20, the participating delegation exchanged knowledge and best practices in forest fire prevention in Asturias. This exchange was organized by FIAP within the framework of the Amazonía+ program, funded by the European Union, and forms part of the Training Plan of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO).
One of the sessions was dedicated to analyzing MITECO’s support in forest fire prevention, with special attention to the role of the Preventive Work Brigades (BLP) and the Comprehensive Forest Fire Prevention Teams (EPRIF), as well as the work currently being carried out in the Asturian territory.
The sessions included the participation of technical officials from MITECO, among them Ángela Iglesias Rodrigo and Celia García Feced, together with representatives from EPRIF Asturias Centro (TRAGSA). During the morning, the National Program for Under-Canopy Prescribed Burning and the study of Strategic Management Zones (ZEG) were also addressed, highlighting their practical application in Asturias, with the participation of scientist Javier Madrigal Olmo (ICIFOR-INIA, CSIC).
In this context, Celia García Feced emphasized the importance of prevention tools based on scientific evidence: “Prescribed burning is a scientifically proven tool for the prevention of forest fires. The integration of these actions into the territory must be considered for efficient, integrated fire management.”
The day continued with a field visit in the Valdés area, where the zone affected by the Foyedo wildfire (March 2023) was analyzed. During this activity, technicians from the Principality of Asturias, together with teams from MITECO, EPRIF, and CSIC-INIA, provided context for the fire within ongoing studies on the effectiveness of Strategic Management Zones and the preventive work carried out.
Participants also visited other areas affected by forest fires, assessing on site the economic, environmental, and social impacts, as well as the restoration and prevention measures implemented.
This technical visit is part of the joint effort between FIAP and MITECO to strengthen capacities, share international experiences, and move towards a more effective and sustainable integrated fire management model, in which prevention plays a key role. The Amazonía+ program thus reinforces technical cooperation and knowledge exchange between territories, helping to improve prevention and response strategies for forest fires in different contexts.
