Pedro Sánchez is grateful for the 'commendable work', 'effort' and 'commitment to the territory' of the BRIF to tackle the fires

The President of the Government of Spain has insisted on the need to reach a State Pact to deal with the climate emergency, "leaving aside partisan fighting". "We will strive to ensure that this happens and that we can reach this great agreement between parties, institutions and society as a whole."

Tabuyo del Monte (León)

Group photo of the visit by the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, to the BRIF base (Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa)

On behalf of the Executive and the country as a whole, Pedro Sánchez thanked the "commendable work, professionalism, commitment to the territory and the immense effort" of the Forest Fire Reinforcement Brigades (BRIF) in tackling the fires suffered by our country. "The recognition of the firefighters of the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge and also the applause of Spanish society as a whole for their work throughout these difficult weeks," in which they have had to "work and battle side by side with many other troops from all over Spain," he said.

Speaking to the media after his visit to the base of the Forest Fire Reinforcement Brigade in Tabuyo del Monte (León), the head of the Executive stressed that the deployment of the BRIF has included the mobilisation of the 11 brigades we have throughout the territory, with a total of more than 600 personnel and more than 200 resources. To this must be added the "unprecedented mobilisation of the Government of Spain, the State law enforcement forces and agencies, the Civil Guard, the National Police, the Military Emergency Unit and volunteers." "All the troops of the General State Administration have been made available to work in coordination with the autonomous communities affected by these fires," he recalled.

Sánchez stressed that BRIF workers are public servants who "put their lives at risk" and should have "salary dignity" and job "stability", while at the same time it is necessary to "increase the resources and means they have to be able to do their work better and with greater guarantees of safety". This is the guide for the political action of both the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge and the public company Tragsa itself, said the president, who recalled that in 2024 "a very important step was taken with the approval of the basic framework for brigades, forest firefighters and environmental agents", which improves their conditions. "It is now up to the regional governments to do the same for the personnel that are under their jurisdiction and that form part of their administrations," he said.

State Pact to tackle the climate emergency

Pedro Sánchez speaks with personnel from the Forest Fire Reinforcement Brigades (BRIF)| Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

During his speech, the president of the Government of Spain insisted on the "need for all administrations, and not just the administrations, to work hand in hand on a State Pact to tackle the climate emergency," which transcends legislatures. In this sense, he recalled that in the last Council of Ministers the Government had approved "a participatory, open, absolutely democratic roadmap", so that experts can contribute their knowledge and proposals, and that by the end of the year we can have a State pact that will allow us to guide our actions in a systematic and systemic way over the coming months and years."

In his opinion, "it is worth making this effort and putting aside everything related to the legitimate and democratic party struggle" to reach this agreement on the climate emergency, as we did in the past with the State Pact against terrorism, or against sex-based violence, because "in the end what we are talking about is the security of our people."

Sánchez stressed that the Government's will to reach this State Pact is "absolute". "We are going to strive, as I will personally, to ensure that this happens and that we can reach this great agreement, this great State Pact between parties and institutions, but also the whole of Spanish society, because we need everyone." "We need the primary sector, environmental NGOs, but also urban and rural areas working together against this climate emergency," he concluded.

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• Government of Spain
• Sustainability
• Climate change