"Given official data and institutional communications describing a fully operational system, we believe it is necessary to responsibly address the actual critical issues affecting the sector, in the belief that the protection of the territory, environmental heritage, and community safety deserves the utmost clarity." Thus begins a long and forceful statement issued by the most representative unions of the Forestry and Environmental Protection Corps—SAFOR, FESAL, and UIL —as the summer season approaches and the consequent launch of the 2026 Fire Prevention Campaign.
The acronyms first highlight personnel issues : "The official numbers regarding personnel declared as deployed for the firefighting campaign do not appear to correspond to the actual operational availability in the territories. This discrepancy risks providing a misrepresentation of the actual resources available , especially at a time when the fire risk requires the highest levels of efficiency, transparency, and institutional credibility."
«To date, – it is explained – the Forestry Corps is in a state of serious organizational difficulty due to a persistent shortage of staff , the average advanced age of the personnel in service and prospects of reinforcement which, according to what has been announced, would partly involve fixed-term hiring: a solution which, although representing a first intervention, risks not guaranteeing continuity, specialization and operational stability in a highly technical and strategic sector for the safety of the territory».
In this regard, the unions recall the numerous ongoing disputes, "to which the persistent and serious lack of response must be highlighted," and which concern "organizational, operational, and professional development issues that directly impact the CFVA's ability to ensure an effective presence in the area, improved prevention capabilities, faster response times, and more efficient coordination of institutional activities, particularly within the Fire Prevention Campaign."
"In the face of repeated requests for discussion from the trade unions, the Administration's attitude appears to be prejudicial to democratic dialogue and the search for shared solutions on issues of fundamental trade union, organizational, and operational importance. This attitude is incomprehensible and unjustifiable, precisely because it addresses issues that, if addressed promptly and responsibly, would contribute to strengthening the overall efficiency of the regional firefighting system and the safety of citizens."
Furthermore, the unions also complain about the "failure to renew the fleet of vehicles, particularly fire-fighting vehicles."
For this reason, "forms of mobilization and struggle permitted by law, even in the most forceful ways, are being advocated to finally address and resolve critical issues that have long awaited answers. This approach not only weakens the necessary dialogue between institutions and worker representatives, but also risks being profoundly offensive to the women and men of the CFVA, who, once again, will be asked to face a new summer season characterized by extraordinary sacrifices, high exposure to risk, and burdensome operational responsibilities, without adequately addressing the long-declared structural criticalities."
"We cannot continue to demand a spirit of service, professionalism, and absolute availability from our staff without concretely recognizing the value of their work and the need to ensure adequate organizational conditions, reliable resources, and stable prospects for those who daily protect our environmental heritage and the safety of our communities."
Finally, the unions conclude, "the growing imbalance in resource allocation and the strengthening of regional structures to the detriment of the Forestry Corps is of great concern, despite the latter continuing to shoulder the burden of essential operational functions regarding forest and rural fires. Regional policy, in fact, appears to be focusing its decisions primarily on strengthening the response capacity of an apparatus primarily designed to manage emergencies as they arise . This approach risks privileging emergency response alone, neglecting the centrality of prevention as a fundamental tool for protecting the environment."
"The protection of forest and environmental heritage and the safety of communities," he concludes, "cannot be entrusted to merely formal numbers or emergency measures. We need structural investments, institutional balance, and a clear political will to strengthen those who work on the front lines every day, not only to put out fires, but above all to prevent them."
(Unioneonline)