Red Eléctrica, Redeia’s subsidiary responsible for the operation and transmission of the electricity system in Spain, and Castile and León’s Regional Ministry for the Environment and Territorial Planning have renewed their cooperation agreement to prevent and fight forest fires until 2029. The collaboration has been in place since 2017.

After analysing the continuation of the current agreement, which took effect in 2021 and is set to expire this June, the parties decided to extend it for an additional four years. Under the agreement, Red Eléctrica will contribute 20,000 euros per year to the Government of Castile and León to carry out several actions aimed at preventing and extinguishing forest fires, including training and awareness-raising initiatives. The project also includes programmes for the protection and environmental recovery of forested areas. This initiative is part of Redeia’s Comprehensive Impact Strategy, which aims to contribute to the ecological transition and generate a positive impact on the territory.

The agreement was signed by Castile and León’s Regional Ministry for the Environment and Territorial Planning, Juan Carlos Suarez-Quiñones Fernández, representing the Government of Castile and León. Meanwhile, the Corporate Director of External Relations, Communication and Territory, Miryam Aguilar Muñoz, and the General Director of Transmission, Ángel Mahou Fernández, signed on behalf of Red Eléctrica. 
This renewed collaborative emphasises the need to share information and resources between the Government of Castile and León and Red Eléctrica to promote efficiency in managing fire fighting and prevention, an extremely important area to this autonomous community.

This formalises the mutual exchange of information, and the actions to be undertaken—both preventative measures and responses in the event of a fire—are systematised to ensure effective extinguishing under safe conditions for people. The agreement also includes the continuation of the training programmes mentioned until 2029. These programmes are led by Red Eléctrica and specifically aimed at Environmental Agents and technical staff from INFOCAL.

Likewise, it covers the development of projects, work, and campaigns focused on development, innovation, dissemination, and awareness-raising—aimed either at the general public or specific sectors—in the prevention and fight against forest fires. One example, within the framework of the current agreement, is a technology transfer planned for 2025, focusing on its application to forest fire management.

Earlier collaboration
This agreement forms part of Red Eléctrica and its parent company Redeia’s commitment to sustainability, which sets out to create shared value with stakeholders through the responsible development of their activities.

Over the course of eight years of cooperation, Red Eléctrica and the Government of Castile and León have worked together on initiatives such as training and awareness programmes at the Fire Defence Centre (CDF) located in León https://medioambiente.jcyl.es/web/es/medio-natural/centro-para-defensa-contra.html; activities to raise awareness about the environment and forest fires; designing and producing educational materials for temporary exhibitions, as well as energising activities tailored for different groups.

Among the outstanding campaigns carried out is ‘Plug into forest fire prevention’, which provides materials on fire safety use, as well as school visits throughout the autonomous region. Additionally, in 2023, the campaign ‘What Happens After the Fire’ was launched, which offers insights into forest restoration activities through an exhibition and educational activities. Furthermore, training materials and resources have been designed and printed for personnel involved in INFOCAL operations, and specific training sessions have been delivered on prevention and fire fighting related to high-voltage power lines, targeting Environmental Agents and Forest Technicians.