The Decentralized Municipal Entity (EMD) of Valldoreix began forest maintenance and clearing work for fire prevention protection strips this September. These tasks, carried out by the company Espais Verds del Vallès, SA, started around the industrial estate of Can Calopa and will progressively extend to different areas of Valldoreix, with completion expected by December.
The protection strips are 25-meter wide areas located between urbanized zones and forest mass, much of which borders the Serra de Collserola Natural Park. The aim is to manage vegetation to reduce the amount and continuity of combustible material, thereby hindering the spread of potential forest fires and improving safety for people, homes, and infrastructure. Current regulations require these strips to be free of dry vegetation and have a thinned tree canopy.
The work will vary by sector. In areas already in adequate condition, maintenance will involve clearing undergrowth and vegetation management. In denser wooded sectors, selective thinning will also occur, removing some trees to reduce canopy continuity and promote a forest structure that hinders fire spread. This distinction is based on the vegetation's condition in each sector.
The work follows criteria from Decree 123/2005, which regulates vegetation treatment. In areas with mature trees, regulations mandate reducing tree density, spacing, creating canopy discontinuity, pruning lower branches, and controlling shrub layers, considering species' flammability.
The goal is not to eliminate vegetation but to manage it to reduce fire intensity and spread speed, and lessen continuous transmission through undergrowth and canopies. Tasks include mulching, selective thinning, pruning, and vegetation shredding.
The planned work for 2026 covers approximately 46 hectares and represents an investment of nearly 70,000 euros, fully funded by the EMD of Valldoreix's own resources. Regulations stipulate maintenance obligations for property owner associations or individuals, but the EMD is undertaking the cost to ensure consistent and uniform strip maintenance.
