The UME intervenes in the Guadalajara fire after the evacuation of a town due to the advance of the flames

The intervention of the Military Emergency Unit (UME) in fires and forest emergencies is currently regulated by existing legislation (Law 17/2015, Intervention Protocol, UME organization order, civil protection and forest fire plans), and not by a law currently being processed in the Cortes. As of July 16, 2026, there is no bill or legislative proposal underway that directly modifies this specific legal framework. What does exist are non-legislative parliamentary initiatives (non-law proposals) related to the activation and deployment of the UME and the strengthening of prevention and fight against fires, in addition to new regulatory legislation approved by the Government.

1. Current legal framework for UME intervention

The regime for UME intervention in emergencies and forest fires is based on several pillars:

• Law 17/2015, of July 9, on the National Civil Protection System, which establishes the UME as a public emergency intervention and assistance service and as the main collaboration structure of the Armed Forces in civil protection, assigning it operational direction in emergencies of national interest, under the Minister of the Interior. See Law 17/2015.
• Royal Decree 1097/2011, of July 22, approving the UME Intervention Protocol, which sets the activation conditions, coordination with other administrations, and particularly the use of aerial means for fighting forest fires. See the Intervention Protocol.
• Order DEF/160/2019, of February 21, which regulates the organization and functioning of the UME and specifies that its operational actions are governed by Royal Decree 1097/2011 and focus on the protection of people, property, environment, and natural spaces. See Order DEF/160/2019.
• State Civil Protection Plan for Forest Fire Emergencies, approved by Council of Ministers Agreement and published by Resolution of October 31, 2014, which establishes the organization and procedures for the use of state resources (including the UME) when there is national interest or support to autonomous communities.
• Basic Civil Protection Planning Guideline against the risk of forest fires, approved by the Council of Ministers Agreement of April 21, 2026, and published by Resolution of April 23, 2026, which explicitly cites Royal Decree 1097/2011 among its legal framework and sets how special regional forest fire plans should be structured.
• Royal Decree 38/2026, of January 21, which develops instrumental coordination measures for the prevention, surveillance, and extinction of forest fires, published in the BOE via [link]. This is regulatory legislation from the Government, not parliamentary law.
• Additionally, Royal Decree-law 15/2022, on urgent measures regarding forest fires, already in force, and other civil protection instruments complement this framework without directly altering the UME Intervention Protocol.

All this regulatory framework is in force and operational. None of these provisions are currently subject to specific modification via bill or legislative proposal in the Cortes.

2. Government initiatives related to UME and fires

Although a “new UME law” is not being processed, the Executive has adopted decisions affecting its role in forest fires:

• Annual approval of the Prevention and Fight Action Plans against Forest Fires, such as the one for 2026, included in the Council of Ministers agreement of June 9, 2026 (2026 Plan), where it is reiterated that the UME is the first intervention element of the Armed Forces and may integrate additional means from them.
• Reinforcements of means and equipment for the UME, such as the agreement of June 29, 2026, for a framework agreement for the acquisition of dump trucks, trailers, and heavy machinery aimed at improving its response in forest fires and other emergencies (equipment agreement).

These measures develop and strengthen the existing framework but do not represent a parliamentary change to the basic legal regime of UME intervention.

3. Current parliamentary initiatives on UME and fires

In the Cortes there are initiatives related to the UME and forest fires, but they are non-legislative (do not create or modify laws) or address civil protection in general without reforming the UME Protocol:

• Congress of Deputies:
  • Non-Law Proposal on the activation of the UME in forest fires and other adverse meteorological phenomena in the Canary Islands (161/003309), from the Mixed Group. It is Pending after its publication on April 28, 2026; it can be consulted in the Congress Bulletin.
  • Non-Law Proposal for forest fire prevention (161/003528), from the Mixed Group, published on June 16, 2026, also Pending processing in committee. See the Congress Bulletin.
  • Other PNLs on emergencies (e.g., DANA 2024) mention the framework of Law 17/2015 but are no longer processed as law (some have lapsed).
• Senate:
  • Motion from the Socialist Group on the work of the Armed Forces and especially the UME in the 2026 summer fire campaign ((15)661/002153), definitively approved on June 11, 2026, and published on July 15, 2026 (approved text). It expresses recognition and support but is not a law.

None of these ongoing parliamentary initiatives have the nature of a bill or legislative proposal intended to directly reform Law 17/2015, Royal Decree 1097/2011, or Order DEF/160/2019 regarding UME intervention in forest fires.

4. Conclusion on parliamentary status

In summary, as of today:

• The legal framework for UME intervention in emergencies and forest fires is fully in force and is based on Law 17/2015, the UME Intervention Protocol, Order DEF/160/2019, and the specific state civil protection plans and guidelines for forest fires.
• There is no legislative initiative in the Cortes Generales under processing (bill, legislative proposal, or ratification of royal decree-law) that specifically modifies that regulation on UME intervention in forest fires.
• There are non-legislative initiatives (PNLs in Congress, motion already approved in Senate) that politically guide the use of the UME and request reinforcements or bases, but without direct normative effect.

Therefore, the “regulations on the intervention of the UME in forest emergencies” are currently in a state of stable validity, with recent regulatory developments approved by the Government but without ongoing parliamentary reform.

The Statute of Autonomy of Castilla-La Mancha establishes the President of the Regional Government as the highest political authority of the Autonomous Community, head of the Council of Government, and main institutional representative. Their fundamental powers focus on directing the action of the regional Executive, coordinating the councilors, exercising the representation of the region and the ordinary representation of the State, as well as articulating the political relationship with the Cortes of Castilla-La Mancha. These functions are set out in Organic Law 9/1982, Statute of Autonomy, as amended by successive organic reforms.

Institutional position of the President

According to the Statute (Organic Law 9/1982, of August 10, Statute of Autonomy of Castilla-La Mancha, available in the BOE), the President is one of the three bodies of the Regional Government, along with the Cortes and the Council of Government. The key provision establishes that the President of the Regional Government directs the action of the Council of Government, coordinates the functions of its members, and holds the highest representation of the region, as well as the ordinary representation of the State in Castilla-La Mancha.

This dual role —representation of the Autonomous Community and ordinary representation of the State— places the President as a link figure between the self-government of Castilla-La Mancha and the state institutions.

Election, appointment, and legitimacy

The Statute provides that the President is elected by the Cortes of Castilla-La Mancha from among its deputies and appointed by the King. After each regional election, the President of the Cortes, after consulting the parliamentary groups, proposes a candidate for the Presidency.

The candidate presents the general lines of their program before the Cortes and requests their confidence. The investiture occurs if they obtain an absolute majority of deputies, or, in a second vote 48 hours later, a simple majority. If within two months no candidate obtains a simple majority, the Statute provides that the candidate of the party with the most seats is automatically designated.

This system, developed in Organic Law 3/1997, statutory reform (available in the BOE), strengthens the parliamentary legitimacy of the President and directly links their election to the political composition of the regional Cortes.

Government leadership and executive powers

At the governmental level, the President exercises, among others, the following statutory powers:

• Direct the action of the Council of Government and set the political and administrative guidelines of the Regional Government.
• Coordinate the functions of the Vice Presidents and Councilors, ensuring coherence of sectoral action.
• Appoint and dismiss the Vice Presidents and Councilors, a power expressly recognized in the Statute.
• Promulgate regional laws in the name of the King and order their publication in the Official Journal of Castilla-La Mancha and in the Official State Gazette.

Additionally, the President intervenes in the calling of regional elections, since the Statute establishes that elections to the Cortes will be called by the President of the Regional Government, according to electoral legislation.

Relationship with the Cortes: confidence and political control

The relationship of the President with the Cortes is articulated on a scheme of political confidence and reciprocal responsibility:

• The President may raise confidence issues before the Cortes on any matter of regional interest. If confidence is lost, they must resign and the procedure for designating a new President begins.
• The Cortes may require the political responsibility of the President through a motion of censure, which must be constructive (include an alternative candidate) and be approved by an absolute majority. If it succeeds, the candidate of the motion is invested and appointed President by the King.

This framework is complemented by reforms introduced by Organic Law 7/1994 (available in the BOE) and Organic Law 2/2014 (in the BOE), which adjust various aspects of institutional functioning, although without altering the essence of presidential functions.

Responsibility and dismissal

Regarding responsibility, the Statute establishes that the criminal responsibility of the President for crimes committed within the territory of the Community is required before the High Court of Justice of Castilla-La Mancha, and outside that territory before the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court. Civil liability arising from the exercise of the office is also processed before these courts.

As for dismissal, the Council of Government —and with it the President— ceases after regional elections, loss of parliamentary confidence (confidence issue or motion of censure), or resignation or death of the President. In all cases, the Government continues in office until the new Executive takes office, ensuring institutional continuity.

The deployment of the Military Emergency Unit (UME) in an autonomous community can only be agreed upon in the face of serious emergencies and following a very strict procedure: the request is made by the autonomous civil protection authority to the Ministry of the Interior, which assesses the situation and, if appropriate, requests the Ministry of Defense to activate the UME. The Minister of Defense, by delegation of the President of the Government, is the one who formally orders the intervention, in accordance with the Intervention Protocol approved by Royal Decree 1097/2011. The UME always acts integrated into the civil protection system, respecting autonomous competences and only in cases of serious risk, catastrophe, calamity, or other public needs.

What is the UME and in which regulations is it governed

The UME is a permanent joint force of the Armed Forces, with the mission to intervene anywhere in the national territory (and abroad) in situations of serious risk, catastrophe, calamity, or other public needs, according to Order DEF/160/2019 and the Intervention Protocol of Royal Decree 1097/2011. Its creation was agreed by the Council of Ministers in 2005, published in the Resolution of January 19, 2006, and its initial operation was specified in Order PRE/1776/2006.

As a general framework, the mission of the Armed Forces in emergencies derives from article 15.3 of Organic Law 5/2005, on National Defense, while Law 17/2015, on the National Civil Protection System and Law 36/2015, on National Security frame its role as the main collaboration structure of the Armed Forces in civil protection and situations of national security interest.

Who can request deployment in an autonomous community

Royal Decree 1097/2011 establishes that:

• In serious emergencies NOT declared of national interest, the competent autonomous civil protection authorities can request UME collaboration from the Ministry of the Interior.
• Certain ministers or state bodies can also request it to protect state installations or infrastructures located in a community, but always coordinated with the civil protection plan and with information to the affected community.

Therefore, the autonomous community does not “activate” the UME directly: it makes a motivated request to the State through the Ministry of the Interior.

Material requirements: types of emergencies

According to the Intervention Protocol, the UME can only be deployed when a serious situation occurs (even if not of national interest) such as:

• Serious natural risks: floods, flash floods, earthquakes, landslides, heavy snowfalls, and other large-scale adverse meteorological phenomena.
• Forest fires.
• Technological risks: chemical, nuclear, radiological, biological, etc.
• Emergencies resulting from terrorist attacks or illicit and violent acts, including against critical infrastructures or with NRBQ agents.
• Serious environmental contamination.
• Other cases decided by the President of the Government.

Emergencies at sea are excluded, except by exceptional decision at the proposal of the competent Minister (formerly Transport) according to the same protocol.

Formal procedure for request and authorization

The legal scheme is as follows (Royal Decree 1097/2011):

• The autonomous community detects a serious emergency fitting the above cases, acts with its own services, and when its means are insufficient, its civil protection authority requests the Ministry of the Interior for UME collaboration.
• The Ministry of the Interior assesses the emergency’s dimension, available means, and the principles of complementarity and subsidiarity of the National Civil Protection System.
• If deemed necessary, the Interior Ministry requests the Ministry of Defense for UME intervention.
• The Minister of Defense, by delegation of the President of the Government, orders the UME deployment and later approves the end of the intervention, at the proposal of Interior and after hearing the requesting authorities.

Coordination with the autonomous community and limits

During the operation, the UME must comply with civil protection legislation and, “especially, the distribution of competences between the State and the autonomous communities.” A UME commander is always integrated into the Operational Coordination Center that directs the regional emergency, to ensure coordination with regional services.

In emergencies declared of national interest (a figure provided in Law 17/2015, interpreted by STC 58/2017), the UME Chief assumes operational direction under the authority of the Minister of the Interior, but the community continues participating in management according to its competences.

Normative references and related documents

Besides the already cited norms, the legal context of the UME and state civil protection includes, among others:

• Royal Decree 399/2007 (first intervention protocol, later annulled and replaced by RD 1097/2011).
• Basic forest fire guideline, Tsunami guideline and its update in the 2023 Basic Civil Protection Standard.
• Radiological risk guideline and CSN Instruction IS-44 on nuclear emergencies.
• Judgments and appeals on the National Security and Civil Protection Laws: STC 184/2016, appeal 7330-2015, and appeal 1880-2016.
• Other agreements and norms cited in previous provisions (e.g., on coordination or financing) accessible in the BOE: France-Spain security agreement, Law 5/2005 on financial conglomerates and its development by Royal Decree 1332/2005, as well as other cited provisions (RD 2329/1979, Law 1/2009, Law 36/2002, Law 29/1995, Law 51/1982, Law 14/1975, Law 18/1990, and the National Civil Protection Commission).
• Orders applying measures after emergencies: Order TES/443/2022, Order TES/1223/2021, and Order ISM/707/2021.