Spain wildfires: Expert urges tenfold increase in prevention investment

The decano of the Colegio Oficial de Ingenieros de Montes, Eduardo Tolosana, has warned that politicians are not reacting to the new reality of increasingly severe wildfires in Spain, which he describes as 'monstrous' and often uncontrollable. Source: Elmundo He attributes the current crisis to a combination of a wet spring that boosted vegetation growth, followed by drought and early heatwaves, creating a 'cocktail' for rapid fire spread. Source: Infobae

Root causes

Tolosana identifies rural abandonment as the most important underlying cause, as it allows fuel loads to accumulate. He notes that while the number of ignitions may be decreasing, a growing proportion of fires become 'unquenchable' due to extreme energy release. Source: Infobae Climate change is also 'deseasonalizing' fires, making them a year-round threat. Source: Infobae

Solutions and calls to action

To address the crisis, Tolosana calls for a tenfold increase in prevention spending, targeted at strategic management zones that can create opportunities for firefighters. Source: Elmundo He emphasizes the need for better self-protection measures in rural-urban interface areas, stronger coordination between emergency services and forest managers, and increased human resources. Source: Infobae He also advocates for promoting sustainable use of forest products and providing support to private landowners, who own 72% of Spain's forest land. Source: Elmundo