Murcia and Castilla y León increase funding for fire prevention and rural jobs

The regional government of Murcia approved a multi‑year plan that combines forest‑fire risk reduction with rural job creation. The initiative aims to train more than 500 workers over the next three years in fire‑prevention, extinguishing and area‑recovery techniques, modernise fire‑defence infrastructure in critical natural parks and deploy early‑detection technology while promoting sustainable agricultural practices.

Castilla y León added €59.1 million to its war‑impact mitigation package, bringing total regional aid to €345.8 million, and earmarked over €7 million for the procurement of five helicopters and helitransported crews for a new forest‑fire prevention operation. The new aerial assets will be based in León and Zamora provinces, strengthening the region’s capacity to detect and combat wildfires.

Both regions intend the spending to protect populations and natural heritage, improve emergency response, and stimulate local economies through qualified employment.