Key data
| Regulation | Resolution of August 5, 2026, from the Under-Secretary, publishing the CSIC-INECO Agreement for the management of forest fires in transport infrastructure environments |
|---|---|
| BOE Publication | August 13, 2026 |
| Entry into force | July 27, 2026 |
| Affected parties | CSIC, INECO, railway infrastructure managers and administrations with competencies in forest fires |
| Category | Regulatory Changes |
| Year | 2026 |
| CSIC institutes involved | ICIFOR-INIA, IMB-CNM, ITEFI |
| Legal framework | Science Law and Legal Regime Law of the Public Sector |
| Monitoring body | Joint Monitoring Commission (minimum annual meeting) |
Railway safety against forest fires takes a qualitative leap in 2026. CSIC and public company INECO have signed a scientific-technical collaboration agreement to design a system for identifying and categorizing areas vulnerable to fires in the environment of the General Interest Railway Network. The Resolution of August 5, 2026, from the Under-Secretary, publishes this agreement in the BOE with effects from July 27, 2026.
The agreement is not a generic statement of intent: it establishes the development of risk indicators based on IoT sensing and their correlation with other environmental data sources, with the aim of anticipating and managing risk situations before they affect railway operations.
What does this regulation establish?
The agreement articulates collaboration between two organizations with complementary capabilities. On one hand, CSIC provides specialized scientific knowledge through three institutes:
- ICIFOR-INIA: Institute of Forest Sciences, with experience in fire science and forest management.
- IMB-CNM: Barcelona Institute of Microelectronics, specialized in sensor technology.
- ITEFI: Institute of Physical and Information Technologies, with capabilities in measurement systems and data analysis.
On the other hand, INECO (Transport Engineering and Economics) provides its knowledge on risks in transport infrastructure and its direct relationship with the General Interest Railway Network.
The technical axes of the agreement are as follows:
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Main objective | Identification and categorization of areas vulnerable to forest fires near railway infrastructure |
| Base technology | IoT sensing correlated with environmental data sources |
| Expected result | Risk indicators for operational management of the railway network |
| Governing body | Joint Monitoring Commission, with minimum annual meeting |
| Enabling regulatory framework | Science Law and Legal Regime Law of the Public Sector |
Economic and operational impact
The agreement does not establish public economic figures or financing amounts in the text published in the BOE. Its impact is mainly operational and risk management for railway infrastructure managers.
From a business and management perspective, the implications are relevant:
- Reduction of operational risk: Forest fires near railway lines generate service interruptions, infrastructure damage and emergency costs. Having advance risk indicators allows activation of preventive protocols before the fire affects the network.
- Improvement of maintenance planning: The categorization of vulnerable areas allows prioritization of vegetation management actions in the highest-risk sections.
- Alignment with safety obligations: Railway infrastructure managers have legal safety obligations. Having scientific risk assessment tools strengthens regulatory compliance and defense against potential liabilities.
- Scalability potential: The IoT sensing system developed could be extended to other sections or transport modes in later phases.
Who does it affect?
- CSIC (through ICIFOR-INIA, IMB-CNM and ITEFI): as a signatory party and executor of the scientific-technical component.
- INECO: as a signatory party and provider of knowledge on transport infrastructure.
- Railway infrastructure managers: especially those linked to the General Interest Railway Network, who will be the final recipients of the risk indicators developed.
- Administrations with competencies in forest fires: autonomous communities and state organizations that manage the prevention and extinction of forest fires in environments near transport infrastructure.
- Railway maintenance companies: which could be affected by new action protocols derived from the risk indicators.
Practical example
Imagine a section of the General Interest Railway Network that crosses a Mediterranean forest area in the interior peninsula, historically affected by forest fires in summer.
With the system developed under this agreement, IoT sensors installed in that environment would measure in real time variables such as temperature, humidity, wind speed and vegetation status. These data would be correlated with additional environmental sources (satellite, weather stations, fire history) to generate a categorized risk indicator for that specific section.
The railway manager would receive a high-risk alert with sufficient advance notice to activate preventive protocols: reduction of circulation speed, temporary suspension of machinery work in the area, coordination with fire services or reinforcement of surveillance. All this before the fire reaches the track, avoiding service interruptions and infrastructure damage.
What should companies do now?
- Identify if you manage infrastructure on the General Interest Railway Network: If your organization operates, maintains or has responsibilities over sections of this network, this agreement is directly relevant to your risk management.
- Review your forest fire risk management protocols: The agreement indicates that risk indicators based on IoT will be developed. Anticipate by evaluating whether your current protocols are prepared to integrate this type of alerts.
- Coordinate with administrations competent in forest fires: If your activity is in risk areas, establish communication channels with autonomous and state administrations that will participate in the use of these systems.
- Follow the development of the agreement through the Joint Monitoring Commission: This body will meet at least once a year. Its conclusions and advances will be the reference for knowing the development status of the risk indicators.
- Consult the complete regulation in the BOE: The full text of the agreement is available in the Resolution of August 5, 2026 (BOE-A-2026-17699) to know the exact scope of the commitments assumed by each party.
Frequently asked questions
Which CSIC institutes participate in the agreement with INECO?
Three specialized CSIC institutes are part of the agreement: ICIFOR-INIA (forest and fire science), IMB-CNM (sensor technology and microelectronics) and ITEFI (physical and information technologies). Each one contributes a differentiated technical capability to the project.
When does the CSIC-INECO agreement on forest fires enter into force?
The agreement entered into force on July 27, 2026, although its official publication in the BOE took place on August 13, 2026 through the Under-Secretary's Resolution.
What technology will be used to identify fire risk areas on railway lines?
The system will be based on IoT sensing whose data will be correlated with other environmental data sources to generate risk indicators. The objective is to identify and categorize areas vulnerable to forest fires in the environment of the General Interest Railway Network.
How will the agreement between CSIC and INECO be monitored?
A Joint Monitoring Commission will be established that will meet at least once a year to oversee the development and progress of the agreement.
Does this agreement affect private railway maintenance companies?
Directly, the agreement binds CSIC and INECO. However, the resulting risk indicators are aimed at improving safety on the General Interest Railway Network, so railway infrastructure managers and maintenance companies operating on that network may be affected by the protocols and tools that derive from this work.
Official source
Consult complete regulation in official source
Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-17699