The president of the Generalitat Valenciana, Juanfran Pérez Llorca, on 31 August 2026 in Artana the first measures to restore the area affected by the forest fire in La Vall d’Uixó work on the affected areas and at the same time announced a new Ley Forestal for the Comunitat Valenciana. The Consell intends to submit the draft for consideration in the coming weeks to Les Corts introduce. According to the regional government, the future legislation will establish a system of “Pago por servicios ambientales”, which will financially reward owners for maintaining forests, preventing fires and protecting ecosystems. Procedures between administrations, municipalities and land managers are also to be accelerated.
According to the authorities, the fire broke out on 25 July 2026, affected a total of 9,568 hectares and caused considerable damage in the natural park of Sierra de Espadán and in several municipalities in the province of Castellón; it was brought under control in early August. Pérez Llorca noted that just over 300 hectares of the total area burned belonged to the Generalitat. He said this demonstrated the importance of private owners in preventing fires, maintaining land and speeding up its recovery.
For immediate restoration, the Generalitat cited an initial investment phase of 2.7 million euros over a period of eight months. Priority will be given to safety work on roads, removing hazardous trees and immediate measures to stabilise the soil and prevent erosion. Further steps are to follow, focusing on revegetation, protecting sensitive habitats and supporting affected municipalities.
The government has not yet provided details on eligibility, funding or the criteria for the planned payment scheme. These points are to be clarified during the parliamentary process and subsequently incorporated into implementing regulations. Professional associations and conservation organisations are already calling for verifiable monitoring mechanisms, transparent allocation procedures and clear safeguards. Information on budgets, deadlines and distribution rules remains open until the draft is formally submitted.
The announced steps are part of a broader assistance and prevention package following the major fire. According to the government, municipalities and owners are to be supported in dealing with immediate damage and adapting over the longer term to increasing fire risks. The start of work in Artana marks the operational launch of the first phase; the legislative process in Les Corts provides the political framework for lasting incentives, responsibilities and procedures.
Editor: Andreas M. Brucker (Article created with AI assistance).