Nearly 80 professionals from Galicia’s Forest Fire Prevention and Defence Service have returned home after being deployed to Castile and León and Madrid, as rising fire risk in Galicia required the full emergency apparatus to be placed on maximum alert.
One of those returning is Breogán del Río, a forestry agent who volunteered in the firefighting effort. His team was stationed near El Tiemblo, in the province of Ávila, close to the border with the Community of Madrid.
Del Río told COPE Galicia that when his team arrived, conditions were considerably out of control, with large smoke columns and very wide fire fronts across a vast area. He described what they encountered as a fairly nightmarish situation.
The team’s work focused on protecting property. Del Río said they did not take part directly in evacuations but did act to save several homes, livestock facilities with animals inside, and agricultural machinery.
Del Río, who has six years of experience as a forestry agent, stressed that the job demands strong professional composure, including keeping calm, assessing each situation, and making decisions based on what is visible on the ground. He also highlighted the importance of safety protocols.
He drew a distinction between his role and that of a firefighter, noting that he is an environmental agent, not a forest firefighter, with his work focused more on directing extinction operations and managing tasks within Galicia’s Structural Operational Command System.
Scale of the Deployment
The contingent sent to León comprised around 30 personnel supported by one bulldozer, one pump unit, and one helicopter. The group deployed to Ávila numbered roughly 50 and included two helicopters, six brigades, four agents, one technician, one bulldozer, and a command post.
The deployment came in response to a cooperation request from Castile and León and Madrid under a National Interest Emergency declared by the Spanish government.
