Spain is facing another summer of forest fires, despite the efforts of those who fought to contain the damage. A balanced, broad strategy is needed, not just a focus on extinguishing blazes. The Official College of Forest Engineers (COIM) argues that the best safeguard against megafires is improved forest management rather than reaction alone. They emphasize a preventive approach that strengthens the health of forests and reduces risk across landscapes.
Over the past eight decades, Spanish forests have expanded significantly, roughly increasing two and a half to three times in extent. Yet biomass stocks in recent decades show a halt in productive use, signaling a shift toward passive accumulation rather than sustainable utilization and management. The terrain often presents steep, challenging topography that complicates traditional agricultural patterns and large-scale animal husbandry. Even with substantial funding from the OTP, continuity in forest vegetation in mountainous zones makes fire ignition and firefighting more difficult. Firefighters must sometimes accept risk to ensure safety and effectiveness in interventions, according to the engineers.
New forest areas frequently contain more than ten tonnes of dead vegetation per hectare, a level that tests conventional extinction capacity. Because of these factors, COIM proposes a set of targeted actions to restore resilience and response capabilities across the forest estate.
More forest management
Current allocations are roughly 300 million euros for forest management and 100 million euros for forestry, compared with about 1,000 million euros spent annually on firefighting across Spain. The focus on aerial support for extinguishing fires is substantial. In COIM’s view, forestry policy should be a central element for regional cohesion, reducing stark disparities between autonomous communities and per-hectare GDP in forested areas. Some communities experience forest wealth levels wildly higher than others, underscoring the need for equitable policy frameworks.
Betting on bioenergy
With abundant biomass in forests and limited agricultural use, plus energy supply uncertainties in the EU, COIM advocates pursuing all forms of bioenergy. Measures such as promoting heat networks and prioritizing biomass for thermal, dispersed, and rural demand—coupled with reduced VAT for consumers—could help meet energy and environmental goals, according to COIM’s assessments.
Change legislation
The environmental precautionary principle sometimes hinders forest management due to perceived risks of action. Conversely, overly restrictive rural regulations can impede productive and harmless economic activity. COIM argues for legislative updates that clarify and empower forest engineers to implement practical, sustainable management strategies while balancing environmental safeguards.
Empower forest owners
Effective forest management requires nimble structures, digitization, and robust public‑private cooperation. Granting greater agency to forest owners and supporting small landholders can yield more practical outcomes than broad, centralized protection. COIM highlights the need for agile, efficient solutions that enable viable management on small plots, a common reality across many regions.
Pay for environmental services
The time is ripe to implement the polluter-pays principle; those who pollute should cover costs, while those who purify receive compensation. This aligns with provisions across the Water Framework Directive, climate legislation, and forest law, though incentives for compliant behavior remain uneven. Addressing these gaps is essential to reducing the risk and cost of fires in the long run.
Rescue extensive farm animal grazing
Grazing on wooded or scrub forests should be considered within the CAP, with differentiated marketing to support forest-scale stewardship. COIM also advocates sustaining crops on strategic landscapes such as firebreaks, arguing that they deserve differentiated treatment to encourage responsible forest legislation and practical conservation practices.
Educate the young population
Education is central to the envisaged management framework. Young people should be taught that tree felling without replacement harms the environment, while planting trees stands as a positive environmental action. Citizens can contribute by choosing locally sourced forest and agricultural products, and by understanding the broader benefits of sustainable land use.
Increasing the bioeconomy
Wood and other forest products have a wide range of uses in construction, packaging, textiles, chemicals, and energy. Replacing non-renewable inputs with biomass in public buildings can drive adoption of renewables. Some European examples show substantial use of wood as a raw material to promote sustainable housing and public infrastructures, reinforcing a path toward a stronger bioeconomy.
Coordinate depopulation and forestry policies
There is a clear overlap between depopulated regions and heavily forested areas. Coordinating forestry and depopulation policies is crucial, with intergovernmental alignment through mechanisms such as a National Forestry Council that ensures broad representation and shared goals across administrations. The aim is to harmonize actions and maximize regional resilience against fire risk and economic decline.