Investment in Forest Fire Prevention and Control in Spain: An Overview of Spending

Forest Fire Prevention and Extinction Budgets Across Spain

Spain is taking significant steps to combat the threat of forest fires, with its autonomous communities allocating substantial budgets for prevention and extinction efforts. Here's a breakdown of the budgets for the year 2025 and beyond, as well as the roles of various entities involved.

Extremadura and Navarra Lead the Way

Extremadura has allocated a budget of 73 million euros for forest fire prevention and extinction this year, with 57.6 million earmarked for the Annual Plan for Prevention and Extinction of Forest Fires. Navarra, on the other hand, has a budget of over 45 million euros for its 2025 Annual Plan.

Regional Budgets and Local Competencies

Each autonomous community in Spain has its own legislation, resources, and competencies for preventing and extinguishing forest fires, as dictated by the Constitution and their autonomy statutes. Local entities like municipalities and provincial deputations also have competencies in this area. In some territories with high forest fire risk, municipalities may be obliged to have a municipal scope plan.

Preventive Grazing and Emergency Levels

Preventive grazing is a planned agricultural practice used to reduce the risk of forest fires. Spain uses cattle, sheep, goats, and horses for this purpose. Emergency levels are managed at the autonomous level, with level 2 implying cooperation between autonomies and the State, and level 3 activating the direct command of the central government.

National Support and Coordination

The Central Government supports the autonomies with state means against fires through the Forestry Law. For coordination with other administrations, there are mechanisms like the National Information Center for Forest Fires (CCINIF), the Forest Fire Fighting Committee (CLIF), and agreements with the Ministry of Defense.

National Program for Preparation in Forest Fires

The Ministry of Ecological Transition (MITECO) has resources for coordinating resources and making them compatible through a National Program for Preparation in Forest Fires. This program provides support from level 2 of emergency to the autonomous communities, being able to act in any point of the national territory, including the Canary Islands.

Emergency Response Units

The Military Emergency Unit (UME) intervenes in emergency situations to support actions in the national or international territory. The Forest Fire Reinforcement Brigades (BRIF) also provide similar support, being able to act in any point of the national territory. The UME and BRIF are crucial resources in the fight against forest fires.

Prevention and Extinction Budgets Across Spain

Asturias: 95 million euros in 2023, including more than 31.5 million for land custody and 48.45 for civil protection.
Aragon: 47.5 million euros in 2025.
Balearic Islands: 50.6 million euros.
Cantabria: 21.9 million euros in 2025.
Castilla-La Mancha: 116 million euros in 2025, with 60 million for prevention tasks.
Ceuta: No data available at the time of publishing the report.
La Gomera, Tenerife, El Hierro, and La Palma: 9 million, 33 million, 3.2 million, and 6 million, respectively.
La Rioja: 8.2 million euros in 2025.
Melilla: 1.2 million euros for the extinction of fires.
País Vasco: 100.2 million euros.
Murcia: 68.8 million euros for the Annual Plan for prevention and fighting against fires.

Prevention Measures and Adaptation to Climate Change

All autonomous communities must have their own annual plan for preventing and extinguishing forest fires, which includes identification, analysis of causes and risk factors, preventive measures, organization and coordination of means and resources, and strategies for adaptation to climate change.

EPAIF and BRIF

EPAIF are a fusion of EPRIF and UMAP, with the objective of prevention, analysis, and assistance of forest fires. BRIF, on the other hand, provide support from level 2 of emergency to the autonomous communities.

Community-Specific Measures

Some communities use grazing as a measure to prevent fires, such as Catalonia with the 'Ramats da Foc' and Castilla-La Mancha with the Red de Áreas de Defensa (RAD).

Increased Budget and Measures in 2025

In 2025, the Spanish government increased the budget for wildfire prevention by 29%. This increase was accompanied by multiple measures including the activation of the national emergency plan, the deployment of military emergency units, and the expansion of firefighting fleets. The government also requested significant EU aid to combat severe wildfires that destroyed over 150,000 hectares of forest and brushland.

The ministries most directly involved in the fight against fires are Defense, due to the participation of the Military Emergency Unit, and the Interior, due to the activation of the General State Emergency Plan.

Investment in Forest Fire Prevention and Control in Spain: An Overview of Spending