Spain Lays Out New Firefighting Plans
July 22, 2005
Spain is laying out a new strategy for fighting forest fires following a blaze this week in a nature reserve that killed 11 firefighters.
New plans include a national coordination center for combating large blazes.
Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero announced this week there would be harsh penalties for those who start forest fires.
Mercelino Herche Tuesday admitted he was responsible for the forest fire that destroyed thousands of acres of trees. He faces up to 20 years in prison for starting a cooking fire illegally.
Spain is in its worst bout of drought in 60 years. The lack of moisture may have led to another smaller forest fire in Spain’s Zamora province.