Spain Burns: "We Must Believe the Reality" of Climate Fires

More than 150,000 hectares have burned in Spain this year. That is five times more than the same period last year. Around 100,000 people are affected by flames and smoke. Some are confined, some evacuated, and many have lost everything. The government has declared a national emergency. Fires in Toledo, Ávila, and Madrid are out of control. The Madrid fire is the most destructive in the country’s history. Authorities said the blaze was "beyond the capacity to extinguish." Summer has just begun. “We must believe the reality,” says Luis Berbiela, a former forest management chief for the Balearic Islands. “We cannot keep believing that firefighters can put out everything, or that the forest hasn’t changed.” The climate has changed. Heatwaves arrive earlier, last longer, and happen more often. Rural areas are abandoned. Fields are full of dry fuel because of a lack of prevention. The conditions are new and extreme. The author of this opinion piece, the President of the Congress of Deputies, argues that Spain needs a major national pact. This pact must focus on prevention and adaptation to climate change. It must be a state policy, not a political tool. Firefighters and emergency teams need more resources, better training, and stable jobs. The Military Emergency Unit (UME) has shown strong skills and service. But more firefighting power is not enough. “If we do not act on the causes, we will condemn future generations to fight ever more devastating fires,” the article states. The author warns that some administrations are cutting prevention programs and questioning climate science. She calls for a unity pact. It must protect forests, boost research, and invest before fires start. “Believing the reality means understanding that every euro spent on prevention saves much more in reconstruction, human loss, and environmental destruction,” she writes. The message is clear: Spain must act now. The future of its land and people depends on it.