The economic toll of Spain's wildfires
Devastating wildfires are ravaging Spain's tourism, economy and nature. Could the country have done more to prevent them?
The wildfires sweeping across southern Europe, particularly impacting Spain, have inflicted significant economic damage, with Spain's GDP taking a 4.5% hit in 2022 due to the fires. Over 206,000 hectares of forest have already burned in Spain this year, according to the EU's Copernicus Earth observation system. The economic toll extends beyond direct firefighting costs; local economies suffer, trade is disrupted, and tourism sees a sharp decline, especially in fire-affected regions, given Spain's heavy reliance on tourism.
Climate economist Sarah Meier from ETH Zurich found that regions affected by wildfires experienced a decline in growth rates by 0.11% to 0.18%, with simultaneous fires causing up to a 4.5% drop in growth. The European Environment Agency estimates that from 2011 to 2018, wildfire losses in southern Europe amounted to nearly €10 billion, with Spain, Greece, and France being the most affected countries.
The economic fallout from wildfires extends to biodiversity loss, reduced forestry revenues, soil erosion, destroyed infrastructure, and firefighting expenses, which can reach up to €19,000 per hectare. While Spain has spent around €417 million annually on wildfire fighting, prevention efforts have been declining since 2009, despite the increasing frequency and scale of wildfires.
Experts argue that investing in prevention is far more cost-effective than battling fires after they ignite.
Written by urgent.news from DW Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
