Aragón regional lawmaker and spokesperson for the Environment Committee Carlos Ros recalled that the PSOE had already warned the committee, before the fire season began, that staffing levels were “very tight” and affected by retirements, transfers and the upcoming civil service examinations.
Ros will convey this criticism and his doubts about the planning of the firefighting campaign to the director general of Forest Management, Ana Oliván, during the appearance that the Socialist Parliamentary Group has requested for Monday.
“We know that several calls were made to fill APN positions during the campaign, but it makes no sense: people without training, people without experience, people who do not know the terrain…,” Ros said, adding that, as far as staffing management was concerned, “there was no planning whatsoever.”
PSOE QUESTIONS STAFFING MANAGEMENT AND LABOR DISPUTES
The Socialist lawmaker added labor disputes in the various categories of the operation to this situation. Ros accused the Environment Department of “belittling” workers during negotiations “in an absurd and ridiculous manner” and called for greater commitment to demands he considers “fair.”
Regarding those negotiations, he also questioned why Vox Environment Minister Luis Biendicho was not taking part, leaving all responsibility to the director general and the provincial directors from the PP. “Take them into account, take them seriously,” he said.
Regarding a fire season that has resulted in an area burned 15 times larger than last year, Ros called for “responsibility and rigorous analysis.” “We need to find out what was done wrong,” he said, recalling that hundreds of people had to leave their homes and saw their towns, farms or way of life threatened.
MORE TRAINING AND A FULLY STAFFED OPERATION ALL YEAR ROUND
In terms of planning, the lawmaker stressed that it is essential to “strengthen and properly recognize” the role and work of personnel who fight fires. “It is urgent to improve the working conditions of forest firefighters, with more training and an operation sufficiently staffed to work year-round on prevention and forest management,” he said.
In addition, from the Cantavieja Fair, Ros wanted to emphasize the importance of extensive livestock farming, as well as the role of livestock farmers and agricultural producers in fire prevention and the care and management of forests. “Another issue to which Vox and the PP have not attached much importance,” he said, recalling that Jorge Azcón has been in government since 2023 and that “his inaction in Aragón’s public forests is overwhelming.”
