Forest fire prevention in Vacarisses: safety, sustainability, and forest management in Bonavista and Torreblanca I

Forest fire prevention is a priority in municipalities surrounded by forest, such as Vacarisses (Barcelona), where the coexistence of nature and inhabited areas requires careful management. In this context, Espais Verds del Vallès, a company specializing in forestry work and sustainable land management, has been awarded the contract for carrying out forest fire prevention works in Vacarisses. The project, of high technical and environmental value, aims to reduce the risk of fires, protect the population, and preserve the health of the forest through sustainable, planned, and low-impact actions. The actions, developed by teams specializing in forest and environmental management, stand out for their high technical value and sustainable approach, prioritizing planning, respect for the environment, and the efficient use of natural resources. Throughout this article, we explain how the interventions will be carried out, their objectives, the benefits they provide to the community and the environment, and why they are essential to guarantee urban safety and forest resilience in Vacarisses.

FIRE PREVENTION IN URBANIZED AREAS NEAR THE FOREST

Espais Verds del Vallès has been awarded the contract for the execution of forest fire prevention works in the outer protection zones of Bonavista and Torreblanca I, in the municipality of Vacarisses (Barcelona).

These outer protection zones are strategic areas that act as a safety barrier between the urban environment and the forest, reducing the continuity of vegetation and creating a controlled transition zone. Their main function is to reduce the intensity and spread of fire, as well as facilitate access for emergency teams in case of fire. Ultimately, they are areas designed to protect both people and the natural environment.

Creating a forest firebreak involves a balanced combination of technical and environmental actions:

• • Reducing tree and understory density by removing excess vegetation that could fuel a fire.
  • Opening and improving access roads and service routes to allow passage for machinery and firefighting vehicles.
  • Sustainably managing plant debris through on-site shredding and returning it to the soil as organic matter.
  • Conserving biodiversity by maintaining trees of interest and ensuring soil protection against erosion.

Image of the Vacarisses Town Hall

These actions not only protect nearby homes and infrastructure but also promote forest health by improving ventilation, reducing competition among trees, and increasing their resistance to pests, droughts, and extreme heat waves.

A well-managed forest burns less, regenerates better, and contributes to the resilience of the territory to climate change.

The challenge is clear: reducing the risk of fires without damaging the ecosystem, maintaining forest health, and ensuring the safety of people.

Therefore, this project is not simply a “forest clearing” operation, but a planned intervention based on technical, environmental, and social criteria. It represents a direct investment in safety, sustainability, and the future of Vacarisses and its natural surroundings.

In Bonavista, the work focuses on the outer buffer zone, a key area between the town center and the forest. Tasks include reducing forest density, selective pruning, opening access points, and shredding plant debris. All of this aims to create a secure barrier that limits the spread of fire and, at the same time, improves the health of the forest and the stability of the terrain.

In Torreblanca I, the project encompasses two outer buffer zones, as well as interior municipal plots and green spaces. Here, the priority is reducing dense vegetation, improving access, and implementing a circular management system for plant debris, which is shredded and returned to the soil as a natural resource. In this way, the urban environment is protected, the resilience of the forest is strengthened, and more sustainable and continuous forest management is promoted.

With this project, Bonavista and Torreblanca I will be safer, greener territories and better prepared to face the risk of fires.

Objectives of the forest fire prevention project in Vacarisses

The contract awarded to Espais Verds del Vallès aims to implement a series of preventative measures to improve fire safety and the management of the natural environment.

The main objectives are:

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• • Reduce tree density and control undergrowth through selective pruning and clearing, limiting the vertical and horizontal continuity of vegetation.
  • Open and improve new service roads (access roads, internal paths) and loading areas, which will allow access for machinery and emergency equipment in case of fire.
  • Reorganize and restore the land after the works, applying topsoil restoration techniques and environmental remediation measures.
  • Guarantee the safety of people and homes, minimizing the risk of fire spreading to the town center: we are acting to prevent fires from a technical, environmental, and public safety perspective.
  • Ensuring the intervention’s durability by planning regular maintenance to maintain prevention criteria over time.

Benefits of forest fire prevention for the population and the environment

The project awarded to Espais Verds del Vallès represents a technical improvement in forestry and a direct investment in safety, sustainability, and quality of life for the residents of Vacarisses.

Image of the Vacarisses Town Hall

Greater protection against fire risk
By reducing the amount of vegetation fuel and creating firebreaks, the possibility of fire spread is significantly reduced, protecting both the forest and adjacent homes.

Safety for people and the urban environment
The perimeter strip acts as a protective barrier between the forest and the town, reinforcing the balanced coexistence of nature and urban development.

Landscape improvement and land management
The intervention is carried out with careful selection and environmental considerations, avoiding mass deforestation. The result is a cleaner, more structured, and safer landscape, without losing its natural character.

Environmental awareness and education
These projects are a practical example of responsible forest management and the importance of planned prevention. They help raise public awareness about the need to care for and maintain the natural environment.

Generation of specialized local employment
These actions require skilled labor in forestry and forestry machinery, promoting technical employment in the region and strengthening the professional sector.

A sustainable and lasting legacy
Ongoing maintenance ensures that the buffer zone is not a one-off action, but rather a project with continuity and a lasting impact on the safety and health of the municipality’s forests.

HOW TO PREVENT FOREST FIRES IN VACARISSES

Espais Verds del Vallès will implement best environmental practices, proven methods, and environmentally friendly procedures.

The implementation will combine operational efficiency with environmental rigor. Some of the key aspects of the project will be:

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Technical and administrative coordination
Joint work with the project management team, forestry authorities, and municipal officials, ensuring compliance with all legal, technical, and environmental requirements.

Use of machinery adapted to the terrain
Specialized, low-environmental-impact equipment will be used, such as winch tractors, skidders, mulchers, and lightweight chainsaws, selected according to the slope characteristics and vegetation type.

Quality control and land restoration
During the works, earthmoving and the preservation of the topsoil will be precisely controlled. After each phase, the land will be restored and leveled to ensure its stability and ecological recovery.

Environmental monitoring and protection
The effects on the soil, erosion, and local wildlife will be minimized. Furthermore, corrective measures will be implemented in sensitive areas, and areas disturbed during construction will be restored.

Occupational health and safety
All personnel will follow strict safety protocols, including the use of PPE, clear signage in work areas, safe distances, and specific procedures for working with trees or on complex slopes.

Future maintenance planning
The project includes a periodic maintenance plan that includes selective clearing and mulching of undergrowth, ensuring the persistence of the results and the continuity of preventative measures.

Communication and transparency
Espais Verds del Vallès will keep the local community informed about the work phases, potential temporary impacts (noise, traffic, access), and the compensatory measures implemented.

FOREST FIRE PREVENTION MEASURES IN VACARISSES

Interventions in Bonavista: protection and improvement of the outer firebreak

In Bonavista, the focus is on the outer firebreak, with actions including:

• • Re-establishment: marking the boundaries of the firebreak and locating loading platforms where the logs will be stacked.
  • Tree felling: maximum density of 150 trees per hectare, with minimum distances of 8 m between trees and 4-5 m from buildings. Felling is carried out according to the flammability of the species, starting with pines and continuing with holm oaks and other broadleaf species. On slopes greater than 40%, a 40-50% canopy cover is maintained.
  • Low pruning: trees and shrubs taller than 3 m are pruned to 2.20 m in height, leaving less than two-thirds of their total height.
  • Skidding and shredding: Logs are skidded to loaders using tractors, skidders, and tankers. Skidding on steep slopes is minimized to protect the soil. Plant debris is shredded into pieces smaller than 20 cm and distributed evenly.
  • Construction of loaders and opening of access roads: The loaders are approximately 400 m², and the access roads are designed with a minimum width of 3 m and a maximum slope of 13%, with drainage and stable embankments.

These actions create a continuous buffer zone that protects the town center and facilitates fire control in case of a fire.

Interventions in Torreblanca I: sustainable management and risk control

In Torreblanca I, the actions are more specific, as they include plots and green areas owned by the municipality located within the buffer zone.

The main measures are:

• • Site-out: Identification of plots and trees to be treated, location of loaders, and marking of work areas.
  • Tree felling and pruning: similar to Bonavista, with special attention to the safety of nearby infrastructure and homes. Special trees are felled using wire-guided cutting or a crane with a basket.
  • Clearing and maintenance: a maximum cover of 15% is maintained for mature trees and 35% for scrubland or young trees. On slopes greater than 40%, cover is maintained between 45% and 50%. Weakened shoots are removed, leaving only one per stump.
  • Shredding and management of plant debris: the debris is shredded and reused in mulching or composting, promoting the Circular Economy and reducing emissions.
  • Opening of roads and loading areas: identical criteria to Bonavista, with roads adapted to the slope and appropriate curve radii, allowing safe access for machinery and firefighters.

These actions reduce the risk of fire within the town itself and in municipal green spaces, integrating safety and sustainability.

Technical and ecological criteria for forest fire prevention

Some key details of the project:

• • Access roads must have a maximum gradient of 13%, a minimum width of 3 meters, minimum curve radii, appropriate drainage, and slopes suitable for the type of substrate.
  • During tree felling, maximum densities (e.g., 150 trees per hectare) and minimum distances between remaining trees are established to ensure ventilation, crown separation, and reduce the risk of fire spread.
  • The order of pruning is determined by prioritizing the most flammable species (e.g., heather, pine, holm oak coppice shoots, cypress, etc.).
  • Plant debris will be removed by on-site shredding or loading, avoiding unmanaged accumulations that could increase the risk of fire.

All of these measures minimize the environmental impact, prevent erosion, conserve soil, and promote vegetation that is more fire-resistant.

PLANT RESIDUES MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULAR ECONOMY FOR FIRE PREVENTION

Every forestry operation generates plant waste—trunks, branches, pruning debris, and shredded brush—which must be managed properly.

The way this waste is handled makes the difference between a conventional approach and a sustainable, circular one.

Espais Verds del Vallès and TMA apply a philosophy based on the Circular Economy.

This translates into:

1. 1. On-site shredding of plant debris: instead of accumulating or burning the debris, it is shredded directly on-site, reducing its volume and using it as natural mulch that protects the soil from erosion and retains moisture.
   2. Use at loading points or loading facilities: the larger debris or chopped logs are concentrated at loading facilities, where they can be reused or transported for energy recovery or composting.
   3. Emission reduction: By minimizing travel and avoiding burning, the carbon footprint of the intervention is reduced.
   4. Valorization of organic material: A portion of the plant waste is transformed into biomass or compost, closing the natural cycle of matter and returning nutrients to the soil or generating renewable energy.

This management model transforms potential plant waste into a useful resource and reinforces Espais Verds del Vallès’ environmental commitment.

ESPAIS VERDS DEL VALLÈS: COMMITMENT TO SAFETY, SUSTAINABILITY, AND SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT IN FIRE PREVENTION

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In addition to technical work, we are firmly committed to sustainability and the Circular Economy, combining practical experience with technical knowledge in forestry, environmental restoration, and the management of natural areas.

At Espais Verds del Vallès, all projects are planned with criteria for minimal environmental impact, reusing or valorizing generated waste and respecting the biodiversity of the surrounding area.

The forest fire prevention project in the outer buffer zone of Bonavista and Torreblanca I, in Vacarisses, is a clear example of how technical planning, sustainable management, and public-private collaboration can translate into safety, environmental resilience, and citizen well-being.

With the actions of Espais Verds del Vallès, the forest firebreaks serve as a model of preventive, balanced, and environmentally responsible management, and Vacarisses takes a step forward toward a safer, greener, and more sustainable territory.

We care for our clients.
We care for the environment.

If you would like more information about our services or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at espaisverds@tma.es.

At Espais Verds, we work for a greener, safer, and more sustainable future for all!

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