Toreno approves the ordinance for the cleaning of vacant lots and fire prevention

The Toreno City Council has definitively approved the modification of the Municipal Ordinance on the cleaning and fencing of plots and the ornamentation of constructions, a regulation that obliges all property owners in the municipality to keep their plots clean and cleared to prevent fires. The agreement, adopted by the Plenary in an ordinary session on June 19, 2026, is published in the Official Gazette of the Province of León number 175, dated September 14, 2026, with the official reference BOP-LE-2026-175010.

The initial approval was announced in bulletin number 117, dated June 23, 2026, and, after the public exhibition period elapsed without any claims or suggestions being presented, the modification became definitive. The full text is made public in compliance with article 70.2 of Law 7/1985, of April 2, Regulating the Bases of the Local Regime, and was signed on September 1, 2026, by the mayor, Vicente Mirón Vázquez.

Cleaning obligations and safety strips

The regulation, which is of an urban, rural, and fire prevention police nature, applies to all land within the municipal boundary, with special requirements for urban and developable plots, rural plots adjacent to the urban center, and urban-forest interface (UFI) areas. The holders—owners, usufructuaries, tenants, or concessionaires—must carry out cleaning and clearing before June 1 of each year, and whenever vegetation poses a risk of fire or unsanitary conditions.

Around buildings, a perimeter safety strip of at least 25 meters is mandatory, with a distance between crowns of 2 to 3 meters, scrub removed below 20 centimeters, and a non-combustible strip of at least 1 meter next to facades and fences. Plots must be fenced with non-combustible material and maintain simple access for intervention in case of fire.

Prohibitions on days of extreme risk

The ordinary burning of plant remains as a habitual cleaning method is prohibited, allowing only controlled burns with authorization from the regional Administration. Remains must be managed through on-site shredding, removal by an authorized manager, or controlled stockpiling on the plot itself for a maximum of 15 days.

On the so-called “red days” of extreme risk, the use of machinery that may generate sparks (grinders, chainsaws, welding, metal brushcutters) is prohibited, except with express authorization and reinforced security measures. It is also prohibited to light bonfires or barbecues in the urban-forest interface, accumulate combustible materials on unconditioned plots, or throw cigarette butts, glass, or incandescent objects.

Inspection and sanctioning regime

Municipal services will carry out ordinary inspections in spring and extraordinary inspections at any time, drawing up a report for each verification. In the event of non-compliance, the City Council will notify an individualized requirement with a maximum period of 10 calendar days; if this period expires without proof of compliance, a subsidiary execution file will be opened at the expense of the obligated party, along with the corresponding sanctioning procedure.

Infractions are classified into three grades, with the following fines:

• Minor: up to 750 euros.
• Serious: from 751 to 1,500 euros.
• Very serious: from 1,501 to 3,000 euros.

In very serious infractions with imminent risk, the City Council may adopt accessory measures such as the sealing of plots, urgent subsidiary execution, or the referral of the facts to the judicial authority. The ordinance will enter into force 15 business days after its full publication in the bulletin.

The new regulation reinforces the municipality’s capacity to act against the abandonment of plots, a key factor in the spread of fires in the urban-forest interface of the El Bierzo region. With a tiered sanctioning regime and the obligation of annual clearing, Toreno provides itself with an effective tool to protect the population and buildings against the risk of fire and health hazards.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of León, no. 175, September 14, 2026, Local Administration, pp. 16-22 (official reference: BOP-LE-2026-175010).