Notes for a white paper on fire prevention

This collaborative work has benefited from input from the key players in fire prevention in Spain: from members of the fire service to technical specialists, engineers, architects, experts in cultural heritage, companies with solutions and operational capacity in this field, foundations and representatives from the public authorities. Everyone who contributed to these pages shares a single goal: to promote fire prevention and reduce the consequences of fires through a series of effective actions to be carried out in the coming years.

This is the first time that a set of opportunities, challenges and key recommendations on essential aspects for reducing the number of fires in Spain have been presented in a single document. These encompass all the key areas and topics in this field: from data and research to citizen awareness and education, from sprinklers to fire extinguishers and fire detectors, from residential to public buildings, and including industrial and forest fires as well as those that could affect cultural heritage. Without forgetting, of course, safety in the home, where between 75% and 80% of fatalities occur in Spain.

112 recommendations, 3 conclusions

The report includes a list of 112 recommendations (the same number as the emergency telephone number in Europe). And they all point to three strategies around which prevention efforts should be concentrated:

1. The need to promote political consensus on the universal risk (especially human, but also socioeconomic) posed by fires.
2. The importance of developing a national strategy to prevent fires and their consequences.
3. Fire prevention and safety should be basic universal rights.

With the conviction that “the best fire is the one that never happens”, we reiterate the importance, now more than ever, of prevention: the vast majority of fires can be prevented and, if they do occur, their consequences can be minimized.

We are very proud to have had the opportunity to promote and contribute to this work together with the APTB (Spain’s Professional Association of Firefighting Technicians) and to have worked with the main fire prevention associations and professionals who have shared their knowledge.

Coinciding with our 50th anniversary celebrations, this publication reaffirms a commitment we made right at the start of our activities: to work tirelessly to ensure that no-one else falls victim to an accident that could have been avoided. Between November 2024 and February 2025, 116 people lost their lives as a result of fires or explosions. For them and for all victims, this joint work on prevention is even more essential.