President Montilla warns of danger of brush fires this summer

Barcelona (CNA).- Sunday was a busy day for the President of the Catalan Government, José Montilla. He dedicated the day to the environment. In the morning, he rode his bike to unveil a cycling park in the Baix Llobregat county, an area in Barcelona’s suburbs. Afterwards, he went to the annual meeting of the Forest Defence Association where he warned of the danger of brush fires this summer, since this spring was very rainy and low forests are very bushy.

After unveiling a new cycling park which unites the cities of Sant Joan Despí, Esplugues de Llobregat and Sant Just Desvern through the building of two road bike lanes and two mountain routes at a cost of 555,640 euros, Montilla asked the members of the Forest Defence Association to make an “extra effort” in the face of a summer that will not be easy. The President said that this year’s exceptional weather conditions will have complicated effects. The large quantities of rain and snowfall during winter and spring have provoked a huge accumulation of leafs and wood in Catalan forests that will become dry during the summertime.

In recent years Catalonia has suffered from forest fires in the summer. Prevention is crucial, especially to avoid catastrophic events like those of last summer at Horta de Sant Joan in the province of Tarragona, in which five firemen died.