Madrid forest firefighters protest while region invests in fire-safety research

Public forest firefighters from the Cuerpo de Bomberos de la Comunidad de Madrid (CBCM) held a protest at Madrid’s Puerta del Sol to denounce what they describe as “institutional harassment and mistreatment” by the regional Ministry of Environment, Agriculture, and Interior. The demonstration occurs amid a severe wildfire season and follows a strike that has lasted over 1,200 days. The strike committee claims the administration has not engaged in negotiations for more than 816 days.

In a separate development regarding fire prevention, the Community of Madrid is investing in advanced material research at the IMDEA Materiales institute in Getafe. Researchers are developing fire-retardant and antibacterial polyurethane foams designed for use in hospitals and public transport to improve safety and hygiene. Additionally, projects are underway to create facade coatings that reduce building temperatures and improve fire resistance, as well as research into safer lithium-ion batteries through the FireSafeBATT project.