Lorraine Williamson
Every summer, vast areas of Spain brace for flames sparked by drought, heatwaves, and climate change. Yet the most disturbing truth is man-made: hundreds of fires this year were not accidents of nature — they were deliberately lit.
From Galicia to Andalucia, investigators are tracing scorched earth back to human hands. It is a crisis no longer explained solely by weather patterns, but by choices, conflict, and impunity.
Communities living with fear and anger
Across rural Spain, residents describe the terror of watching smoke rise over pine forests and olive groves, wondering not just how — but who. Firefighters have evacuated villages in the dead of night. Livestock has been left behind. Wildlife flees or perishes. Charred bones of deer and burnt-out beehives litter once green terrain. Homes, farmland, and family businesses are snuffed out within hours.
Many people feel betrayed — not by nature, but by neighbours, disputes, or strangers who treat land as a weapon. What was once considered a natural disaster is now being spoken of as a preventable crime.
When fire becomes a tool for revenge
According to the Ministry for Ecological Transition, at least 327 forest fires this year have been started deliberately. Lightning, sparks from machinery, or extreme drought are not to blame — instead, motives range from revenge over land rulings to feuds between farmers, hunters, or local authorities.
In some cases, arson is linked to economic gain: land clearance, insurance fraud, or disputes over grazing rights. Others are sparked by resentment towards environmental restrictions. And in rare, chilling cases, pyromania — the compulsive urge to start fires — is to blame.
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The scale of destruction is unprecedented
Spain has already lost more than 411,000 hectares of countryside in 2025 — the worst figure this century and five times higher than the average of the last decade. The fires devastate ecosystems in minutes: cork oak forests, eucalyptus plantations, and protected wildlife corridors. They choke nearby cities with smoke, disrupt tourism, and fill hospitals with patients suffering from breathing difficulties.
The financial cost is staggering. Firefighting aircraft, emergency evacuations, medical care, and land restoration stretch regional budgets to breaking point.
Why so few are caught
Stopping arson is painfully difficult. Those who set fires know how quickly flames spread and how fast they can disappear. Many strike at dawn or during high winds, when firefighters are stretched thin. Remote landscapes make surveillance challenging, though drones, satellites, and rural patrol teams are increasingly used.
Even when suspects are identified, prosecutions are rare. Locals speak of a silence that hangs over small communities — people know, or suspect, who is responsible, but fear reprisals.
Government under pressure to act
Public anger is mounting. Environmental groups and rural mayors are calling for tougher penalties and better protection for high-risk areas. The government has announced plans for stricter sentencing, more drones and surveillance technology, and nationwide awareness campaigns to highlight the impact of arson.
Several autonomous regions have increased inspections along forest tracks and banned agricultural burning during dry periods. But many argue that enforcement remains patchy and too slow.
A culture shift is needed
Beyond laws and policing, fire experts insist Spain needs a cultural shift. Respect for land and collective responsibility, they say, must replace apathy and silence. Education in schools, community fire-watch groups, and better rural investment could help reduce both negligence and malice.
What’s at stake if nothing changes
If deliberate fires continue, Spain faces more than blackened hillsides. Traditional farming will collapse in the most affected regions. Biodiversity will vanish. Insurance costs will rise. Rural families will leave, accelerating depopulation.
And with climate change bringing longer droughts and higher temperatures, every fire — natural or intentional — burns faster and deadlier than the one before.
Source: EFE Verde