Andalusia strengthens forest fire response with 450 staff and new director

During the peak fire‑risk months, Andalusia has deployed 450 personnel under the regional INFOMUR plan to intensify surveillance and rapid response to forest fires. The plan coordinates specialized fire‑fighting crews, forest monitoring units and support staff to detect and extinguish ignitions before they spread, aiming to protect the region’s natural landscapes.

The Junta has also created a Directorate General for Forest Fire Management, appointing Jorge Luque Illescas, an engineer with more than two decades of experience, as its head. The emergency agency has been split into separate branches for general emergencies and for forest fire management to improve decision‑making and coordination. The move follows a recent large fire in Huelva province that burned over 5,000 hectares and affected three towns, though no injuries were reported.

These measures are intended to enhance prevention, coordination and response capacity as the region faces heightened fire danger after a wet winter that left abundant vegetation as fuel.