Nava del Barco approves the land cleaning ordinance against fires

The City Council of Nava del Barco has definitively approved the Regulatory Ordinance for the Cleaning of Land and Plots in Urban, Developable, and Rural Soil, a regulation that obliges all property owners in the municipality to keep their estates clean and cleared to reduce the risk of fires. The agreement was adopted by the Plenary in a session held on July 7, 2026, after the public exhibition period elapsed without any claims being filed, and is published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Ávila number 174, dated September 9, 2026 (number 1776/26).

The ordinance falls within the municipal competence regarding health and urban planning recognized by Law 7/1985, of April 2, Regulating the Bases of the Local Regime, and is supported by Law 5/1999, of April 8, on Urban Planning of Castilla y León, as well as Decree Law 2/2025, of October 23, on urgent measures against the risk of forest fires, which empowers city councils to enter private estates in case of danger. The regulation responds to the situation of the province following the waves of forest fires in recent years.

Obligations of Property Owners

The ordinance obliges the owners of plots, parcels, and vacant building lands to keep them clean and cleared with the necessary frequency, removing weeds, brush, and flammable materials, as well as removing accumulated waste to prevent epidemic or unhealthy outbreaks.

• The obligation is permanent in urban and developable soil.
• The rest of the soils must be cleared before June 1 of each year.
• The Mayor’s Office will issue a reminder proclamation at least three months prior to the deadline.
• In rural soil with agricultural or livestock activity, clearing will be adapted to the cycles of cultivation, fallow, and grazing, although the collection of waste will be required at all times.
• Intervention in forests or in the 400-meter strip surrounding them must comply with the regulations of the Regional Government of Castilla y León, especially during periods of high fire danger.

Subsidiary Execution and Sanctions

In the event of non-compliance, the City Council may issue execution orders and, if these are not followed, proceed to subsidiary execution at the expense of the obligated party, charging them for all costs, damages, and losses. The amount may be demanded through the enforcement procedure, and the collection may be delegated to the Provincial Council of Ávila.

• The failure to fulfill the cleaning duty is classified as a minor infringement, punishable by fines ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 euros.
• The penalty shall be graded in accordance with Law 5/1999 and, supplementarily, article 29.3 of Law 40/2015, of October 1, on the Legal Regime of the Public Sector.
• A 50% reduction will be applied if the offender acknowledges their responsibility and pays voluntarily before the resolution.
• The infringement expires after four years and the penalty after one year from the date it becomes final.
• The competence to initiate and resolve the proceedings corresponds to the mayor, or the councilor to whom they delegate.

Entry into force and appeals

The ordinance shall enter into force on the day following its publication in the Official Gazette of the Province of Ávila, once the procedures of article 70.2 of Law 7/1985 have been completed. Against the final agreement, interested parties may file a contentious-administrative appeal before the corresponding Chamber of the High Court of Justice of Castilla y León within two months of publication. The document appears signed by the mayor, Álvaro García Jiménez, dated August 31, 2026.

The regulation makes Nava del Barco one of the municipalities in Ávila that reinforce fire prevention through the direct involvement of landowners, in a context of increasing forest risk in the province. With fines of up to 10,000 euros and the possibility of subsidiary execution, the City Council has effective tools to ensure the clearing of estates before the summer season, protecting both the environment and the safety of the residents.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Ávila, no. 174, September 9, 2026, Local Administration, City Council of Nava del Barco (official reference: number 1776/26).