Preventing Wildfires: Why the Iberian Peninsula Still Burns

Hello, Champions of Net Zero!

The Iberian Peninsula has been engulfed in devastating wildfires year after year, with images of exhausted firefighters, traumatized evacuees, and charred villages becoming a haunting reminder of the dire consequences of climate change. Yet, while global warming undoubtedly plays a role in exacerbating these disasters, experts argue that the majority of the damage is preventable. The pressing question remains: why do these infernos continue to ravage communities in Spain and Portugal?

The Unfolding Crisis

This year’s fire season is particularly alarming, already setting records as one of the worst in history. Over one million hectares—an area larger than Cyprus—have been consumed by flames across the European Union, with a significant portion of that devastation occurring in the Iberian Peninsula. Tragically, at least six lives have been lost in the chaos.

The sheer scale of this disaster has ignited a reckoning in both Spain and Portugal, prompting citizens to question why they are subjected to such a perilous threat annually. In a recent protest in León, Spain, 74-year-old Josefina Vidal expressed her anguish, stating, “My house, my neighbour’s house, my entire town of Castrocalbón has gone up in flames because our authorities are incompetent.” Meanwhile, mourners at a firefighter’s funeral in Portugal condemned Prime Minister Luís Montenegro as a persona non grata.

Displacing Responsibility

Politicians in both countries have been quick to deflect blame, attributing the fires to uncontrollable factors such as climate change and arson, or pointing fingers at previous administrations. The discourse often revolves around the availability of firefighting resources rather than addressing the root causes of the wildfires.

Experts assert that preventing these catastrophic blazes is not only simpler but also more cost-effective than attempting to combat them once they ignite. The conditions that lead to these firestorms are largely a consequence of how land is managed—or, more accurately, mismanaged.

The Climate Factor

While climate change undeniably contributes to the severity of wildfires, it is not the primary cause. Rising global temperatures, driven by fossil fuel combustion, do not ignite fires but create conditions that allow flames to spread rapidly. The intense heatwaves experienced recently in Spain and Portugal have dried out soils and vegetation, rendering forests and other lands more susceptible to catching fire.

Scientists emphasise that while mitigating climate change is crucial to preventing even more severe heatwaves and droughts in the future, governments must also take immediate action to minimise the risk of climate-related disasters.

Leaving the Land

The primary strategy for wildfire prevention involves reducing the fuel available for flames to consume. As more farmers and shepherds have migrated to urban areas over recent decades, vast stretches of Spanish land—estimated at 2.3 million hectares—have been left unmanaged. This abandonment has allowed uncontrolled vegetation to flourish, creating abundant fuel for wildfires.

According to Eduardo Rojas Briales, a forest expert at the Polytechnic University of Valencia, the amount of biomass in Spain has surged by 160 per cent over the past 50 years. This dramatic increase in fuel availability is a critical factor in the rise of destructive wildfires. Experts agree that halting land abandonment is essential for effective fire prevention, yet this trend is likely to persist as rural populations age and struggle to sustain a livelihood.

To combat this issue, there is a pressing need for revitalising the primary sector. Crops such as olive orchards, which historically served as firebreaks, are becoming increasingly rare. With rural abandonment, landscapes have transformed into wild shrublands and young forests, which may appear to be returning to a natural state but are, in fact, posing greater risks. Professor Víctor Resco de Dios from the University of Lleida warns against the romanticised notion of untouched nature, stating, “If we plant trees and then forget about them, then we’re just planting the fires that we’ll have in 20 or 30 years from now.”

Mismanaged Landscapes

Forestry experts, scientists, and even conservationists agree that neglecting Europe’s natural landscapes is a recipe for disaster. Effective prevention strategies must involve creating diverse landscapes, implementing controlled tree felling to establish firebreaks, and developing rural policies that support farmers and shepherds.

Moreover, experts advocate for a paradigm shift in how we approach fire management. In the Mediterranean, landscapes historically burned, and they must continue to do so as part of a natural cycle. “Our landscapes, they burn in the past, they are burning in the present, and they must burn in the future,” insists Jordi Vendrell, director of the Pau Costa Foundation, a nonprofit focused on wildfire management.

The Prevention Paradox

Despite the clear need for preventive measures, political debates often centre on firefighting efforts rather than addressing the underlying issues. In Spain, for example, regional conservative leaders and the left-wing central government have exchanged blame regarding firefighting resources amidst the ongoing crisis.

As a consequence, governments tend to invest more heavily in firefighting equipment than in prevention initiatives. In fact, Spain’s firefighting budget is double that of its prevention spending, even though the costs associated with preventing fires are significantly lower than those incurred in battling them.

“If we want firefighters to be able to stop a fire, of course, they have to have the means,” said Resco de Dios. “But they cannot do their job, even if they have all the resources in the world, because the landscapes that we have do not allow them to work.”

Nonetheless, the challenge of halting land abandonment is not an easy or inexpensive task. Significant long-term investments in rural communities are needed to create sustainable solutions, as Pérez Oleaga points out. Stimulating demand for timber and other forest products is crucial for this effort, which is why regions like Soria and the Basque Country, where forests are managed and pruned, experience fewer fires.

Looking Ahead

Recently, there have been signs that fire prevention is gaining more attention amidst rising public frustration over governmental responses to wildfires. For instance, Spain’s special prosecutor for environmental issues has initiated an investigation into the lack of forest management plans associated with the recent fires.

However, experts caution that politicians often lack the motivation to implement preventive measures, as the results of such actions may not manifest for years or even decades. “For a politician, the calculation is simple,” Pérez Oleaga concludes. “You can take a picture next to the firefighting plane you bought with EU funds, but you don’t get to have a ribbon-cutting ceremony when you use public cash to clean up a forest.”

As we grapple with the ongoing threat of wildfires in the Iberian Peninsula, it is clear that a multifaceted approach is essential. While climate change adds pressure to the situation, the onus is on governments and communities to take proactive steps to manage land effectively, restore rural economies, and ultimately prevent the devastating wildfires that have become an all-too-frequent occurrence in this region.

In conclusion, the fate of the Iberian Peninsula in the face of climate-induced wildfires hinges on our collective ability to enact meaningful change. By prioritising prevention and investing in sustainable land management practices, we can protect lives, preserve communities, and work towards a greener, safer future for all.