Deliberate forest fires rise to one in three cases investigated in Spain

A total of 354,793.5 hectares of forest burned in 2025 across 8,189 recorded incidents. While the total number of fires remained below the 10-year national average, 63 were classified as major forest fires after destroying more than 500 hectares each - double the decade average.

Major historical blazes included Molezuelas in Zamora and Larouco in Orense, followed by severe incidents in 2026 at Niebla in Huelva and Burgohondo in Ávila.

Law enforcement agencies arrested or investigated 439 people in connection with the blazes, excluding minor incidents and natural lightning strikes.

While intentional fires surged, human negligence and accidental causes remained the primary driver, accounting for 52.38 per cent of investigated cases. Negligent causes included agricultural burning, unextinguished campfires, discarded cigarette ends and glass litter.

Following the 2025 wave of fires, prime minister Pedro Sánchez blamed climate change and proposed a national pact to address the climate emergency. The Environmental Prosecutor's Office, meanwhile, is taking a different approach.

It's working to incorporate drones and remote sensing technology to help tackle fires before they spread. It also aims to identify the "most problematic" areas so it can introduce a "higher level of control and surveillance" to "prevent and, ultimately, if possible, avoid forest fires" in those areas, according to the report.

The office has also launched a campaign to check whether municipalities have forest fire prevention plans in place. Environmental organisations currently estimate that 80 per cent of the country either lacks such a plan or doesn't implement it.