On Wednesday, Red Eléctrica, a subsidiary of Redeia responsible for the electricity transmission and operation of the electrical system in Spain, inaugurated on Wednesday a programme of five training sessions on fire prevention, surveillance, extinction, and protection of birdlife, aimed at forest rangers and firefighters from the Principality of Asturias.

The initiative is part of the collaboration agreement between both entities and a commitment that Red Eléctrica took on during the meeting held on 18 April between the Director General of Territorial Custody and Interior of the Principality of Asturias, David Villar, and the Head of Facilities’ Development and Support at Red Eléctrica, Luis Velasco, who explored different avenues for future cooperation in this area.

The sessions will take place at the 112 headquarters of Asturias in Lugo de Llanera on May 8, 9, 14, 15, and 16. There, about 150 professionals from the Emergency Service of the Principality of Asturias (SEPA), the environmental agents’ network, and the research teams will participate. The objective of the programme is to teach Asturian technicians about the electrical system and energy transmission, the separation of several power lines and pylons of the transmission grids, line regulations, maintenance work, forest management, and the action protocol of action to follow in case of fires near electrical infrastructures.

Additionally, as part of this training programme in the Principality of Asturias, participants will learn about Red Eléctrica's actions in birdlife protection and the current legislation and collaboration undertaken, specifically in this region, to protect large scavengers and contribute in particular to the recovery of the bearded vulture.

The sessions will be conducted by a team of Red Eléctrica technicians. Specifically, the line coordinator, installation managers, and environmental management technicians.

During the inauguration, the Director General of Territorial Custody and Interior of the Principality of Asturias, David Villar, emphasised the value of collaboration and coordination among all parties involved in fire prevention tasks. Thus, he stated that technical sessions like those to be carried out with Red Eléctrica allow us ‘not only to improve general knowledge in fire prevention matters but also to improve the response in case of fire to protect critical infrastructure such as energy transmission grids.’

In addition, the Manager of Northwest Division of Red Eléctrica, Agustín Pallarés, highlighted the importance of collaborating with the competent environmental administrations to create a ‘space for exchange of information and trust between both parties, which allows a direct relationship between agents and Red Eléctrica technicians to be established, with the aim of avoiding the risk of fires and establishing the best possible prevention measures.’
Furthermore, the technician responsible for coordinating the fire and birdlife agreements at Red Eléctrica, Marta García, pointed out that ‘conserving biodiversity is everyone's task, so it is essential to know the tools available for the protection of birdlife, whose role is key to maintaining ecosystem functioning perfectly.’

The initiative was developed within the collaborative framework that Red Eléctrica maintains with the Principality of Asturias, as well as with other autonomous communities, as the administration responsible for the prevention, extinction, and fighting against forest fires, and protection of the natural environment.