The National Operational Directive (DON), which establishes the Special Device for Fighting Rural Fires (DECIR) for this year, indicates that operations were reinforced on 1 July for the third time this year with the entry into ‘reinforced - level IV’, which ends on 30 September.


Over the next three months, 11,825 operators, 2,746 teams, 2,654 vehicles and 60 air support will be operational, an increase of 3 percent compared to 2019.


Within the scope of DECIR, the National Network of Watchtowers is already in operation, composed of 230 watchtowers to prevent and detect fires.


The fire season this year has to reconcile the response to the Covid-19 pandemic with the fight against fires, namely the protection of the operational personnel involved in DECIR.


The National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority has already sent all operational personnel involved in DECIR a plan with measures and instructions to prevent contagion by Covid-19, ranging from individual protection, hygiene rules for rest areas, food and transportation.


These measures are intended to protect civil protection agents from Covid-19 contagion during the time of fighting rural fires and reflect the recommendations of health authorities.