Summer's Deadly Lottery: Why Spain’s Wildfires Are Now "Unstoppable"

A year after the massive fires in León, Spain faces the same threat. The author writes from Valdemorillo, watching orange skies and falling ash at five in the afternoon. He calls it the "summer lottery"—a twisted game where some lose everything. Experts parade on television, politicians wear commander vests and worried faces. But the reality is brutal: record burned areas, displaced people, destroyed biodiversity, and fear. These are not ordinary fires. Firefighters call them "unquenchable." The old playbook for defense is obsolete. Heated debates about whether forests are dirty or healthy miss the point. Young, dense forests have grown as rural areas empty out. More sheep, goats, or cows might reduce fuel, but no one wants to return to the countryside. Public programs have failed to bring people back. Preventive forest management helps in normal conditions, but not against these new mega-fires. Even treated areas burn just as badly. More firefighting resources? The fire defense industry has grown for 25 years, but against these monsters, it barely matters. Some propose releasing bison or Przewalski’s horses into the wild—a trendy "rewilding" idea. But it feels like a desperate fantasy. The author argues that without addressing the big issue—humanity's relationship with the planet—there is no real solution. Within the current economic system, the only option is safety: clear kilometer-wide firebreaks around every village, educate people on evacuation, improve early warning systems, and coordinate civil protection. A national pact might be a start. But he warns: this summer's lottery is not over. In October, the next draw arrives—new storms and "Medicanes" (Mediterranean hurricanes). The question remains: who will be the next winner?