What we already know about Forest Fire Self-Protection Plans

In July 2016, we published under the title ”What we should all know about the Forest Fire Self-Protection Plan (PAIF)” an article in which we proposed some protection measures, and in which we indicated to you the way in which these PAIFs were required by some autonomous communities.

During this period, there have been several inquiries that have come to us regarding the implementation of these plans. Therefore, in keeping with our dissemination policy, we would like to expand the information collected in our first installment. And in this case, detail the application scenarios as well as the range of regulations that are required, in this case in Castilla-La Mancha.

From the first legislative order, we find the Law 3/2008, of 12 June, on Forests and Sustainable Forest Management of Castilla-La Mancha. which, within article 58, paragraph 9, details: “In any case, housing developments, facilities of an industrial, tourist, recreational or sports nature, located within or near mountains, must have a self-protection plan, which, among other measures, will include the construction of a perimeter firewall whose width, measured in natural distance, will depend, at least, on the type of surrounding vegetation and slope of the terrain. In the same way, when it comes to houses, farms, stables and similar buildings, similar precautions must be taken to isolate buildings from the forest mass”.

Therefore, many facilities, houses, industries, housing developments, etc. that today are located in the mountains, or in the immediate vicinity, should include a PAIF in their urban planning and activity documentation. Having a plan provides all people who live or work in the area with a guide to characterize the risk of fire, and thus be able to propose actions for its prevention: Avoid any risk situation, complement the surveillance, detection and warning of forest fires, organize human and material resources for action in forest fire emergencies, until the arrival and intervention of external services, and prepare for the intervention of external aid in case of emergency and guarantee possible evacuation.

The implementation of these measures is also standardized, and the Royal Decree 893/2013, of November 15, approving the Basic Directive for emergency civil protection planning for forest fires. Which indicates that plans must include:

• Identification of the owners and the location of the installation, building or set of the same objects of the plan.
• Situation plans of the area as well as access and passage roads, water tanks and outlets, portable fire extinguishers, evacuation routes and places of concentration in case of evacuation.
• Inventory and description of measures and means to prevent the generation of forest fires.
• Program for the maintenance of facilities and preventive actions for vulnerable elements exposed to protection.
• Action plan for forest fire emergencies.
• Communication directory and notification plan for public intervention services in the event of a forest fire emergency.

A forest fire is extinguished through prevention, so having a PAIF in planning, urbanization and construction projects in the mountains can help municipalities and landlords to gain time and capacity to react, factors of vital importance in dealing with this emergency.

If you need a Forest Fire Self-Protection Plan, do not hesitate to contact us.