According to Infobal, the Balearics special emergency civil protection plan for forest fires, there are 21 municipalities in Mallorca that are most at risk – 40% of all the 53 municipalities.
Unsurprisingly perhaps, these are mostly municipalities in mountainous areas, though they include Marratxi and Palma. The other nineteen are: Alaro, Alcudia, Andratx, Arta, Banyalbufar, Bunyola, Calvia, Capdepera, Deya, Escorca, Esporles, Estellencs, Fornalutx, Mancor de la Vall, Pollensa, Puigpunyent, Soller, Son Servera and Valldemossa.
In accordance with this plan, the 21 town halls must have municipal emergency plans that determine which homes, streets or spaces are most vulnerable to potential fires. These plans must include prevention measures and specify how the public must act in the event of a fire.
The town halls are obliged to ensure that homes on forest land comply with urban planning regulations for the removal of biomass from strips of between 30 and 50 metres around these houses. This obligation only affects built-up areas. Although grants are available, there is a general lack of adequate maintenance and so it is common to see large pine trees that have been brought down by storms.
The head of the Balearics Forestry Service, Joan Santana, says that environment ministry agents conduct information campaigns about measures to be adopted in vulnerable areas. “But there is no specific inspection unit and I don’t know of any sanctions having been imposed.”
