In a statement, several ministries emphasised that several exceptional measures will be implemented, such as the prohibition of access, circulation and permanence within certain forest areas, the prohibition of burning and burning of logging waste, and the prohibition of work in forest areas using any type of machinery (except in situations involving fighting rural fires).

Rural work using brush cutters with metal blades or discs, brush cutters, shredders and machines with blades is also prohibited. The use of fireworks or other pyrotechnic devices is also prohibited during this period, including those that already had authorisations issued.

The National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC) has already started issuing warnings to the population, via SMS, about the danger of rural fires. According to the Government, work involving feeding and watering animals, phytosanitary treatment and fertilisation, watering, pruning, and harvesting agricultural crops are exempt from the prohibitions, provided that they are “essential and urgent and are carried out in irrigated areas or areas without forests, woods or flammable materials, and from which there is no risk of ignition”.

Cork extraction by manual methods and honey extraction are also permitted, provided that they are carried out “without the use of fumigation methods obtained by incandescent material or heat generators”.

Civil construction work that cannot be postponed is also excluded, provided that measures are adopted to mitigate the risk of rural fires.

The level of readiness and operational response of the National Republican Guard (GNR) and the Public Security Police (PSP) has been increased, with increased resources for surveillance, inspection, patrolling and general support for protection and rescue operations that may be carried out.

The level of readiness of the competent entities in the areas of health and social security has also been increased and the Armed Forces will make air resources available if necessary, the Government added.

The Declaration of a State of Alert was decreed by the Ministers of Internal Affairs, National Defence, Health, Infrastructure and Housing, Labour, Solidarity and Social Security, Environment and Energy and Agriculture and Fisheries.