Valdefuentes del Páramo approves the ordinance for plot cleaning to prevent fires

The City Council of Valdefuentes del Páramo has definitively approved the modification of the Regulatory Ordinance for the cleaning of plots and fencing of sites for the prevention of fires in the urban-forest interface, the full text of which is published in the Official Gazette of the Province of León number 176, dated September 15, 2026 (reference BOP-LE-2026-176011). The regulation, signed by Mayor José Luis Martínez Valderrey on September 11, enters into force 15 business days after its publication.

The plenary agreement for initial approval was adopted on August 3, 2026, and was made available to the public via an announcement in the BOP of León number 150, dated August 10, 2026. As no claims were submitted during the public information process, the text was automatically elevated to definitive status, in compliance with Article 70.2 of Law 7/1985, of April 2, on the Bases of Local Government.

Obligations of owners

The ordinance, which is of an urban, rural, and fire prevention police nature, requires all users—under any title—of land and properties within the municipal district to carry out the cleaning and clearing of sites and plots before June 1 of each year, and in any case whenever the vegetation reaches a height or density that poses a risk of fire or to public health. This obligation is jointly and severally enforceable upon owners, usufructuaries, tenants, and concessionaires.

The required works include:

• Removal of grass, shrubs, scrub, brambles, and weeds, as well as dry vegetation.
• Pruning of trees and shrubs, removing low branches up to 2 meters from the ground.
• Removal of garbage, rubble, and combustible materials.
• Maintenance of a perimeter safety strip of at least 15 meters around buildings.

Prohibitions and sanctioning regime

The regulation expressly prohibits the ordinary burning of plant remains, the use of machinery that generates sparks on days declared as extreme risk (“red days”), the lighting of bonfires or barbecues in the urban-forest interface, and the accumulation of combustible materials on unconditioned plots. Clearing residues must be shredded on-site, removed by an authorized manager, or stockpiled in a controlled manner for a maximum of 15 days.

The sanctioning regime classifies infractions into three levels:

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

In the event of non-compliance, the City Council will issue an individualized notice with a maximum period of 10 calendar days. If compliance is not proven, a subsidiary execution proceeding will be opened, charging the owner the full costs, including management and notification fees, which will be demanded via enforcement proceedings with the support of the collection services of the Provincial Council of León.

Regulatory framework and scope

The ordinance is issued in the exercise of the municipal competence regarding civil protection and fire prevention attributed by article 25.2.f) of Law 7/1985, and develops the duty of land conservation provided for in article 15 of Royal Legislative Decree 7/2015, of October 30, as well as in Law 5/1999 on Urbanism of Castilla y León and its Regulations. It is framed within the INFOCAL Plan, approved by Decree 6/2025, of March 27, and responds to the exceptional 2025 forest fire season that affected several urban centers in the province.

The measure affects all owners of plots, urban, developable, and rural parcels adjacent to the urban center of the municipality, as well as the urban-forest interface areas delimited in the annex of the regulation. Through this, the council reinforces the self-protection of homes against the risk of forest fires and provides legal certainty to both the residents and the administration itself to act in the face of abandoned properties.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of León, no. 176, September 15, 2026, Local Administration section (official reference: BOP-LE-2026-176011).