Wildfires still burning in France and Spain amid fears of more to come

Wildfires in southern Europe are causing extensive damage, with Spain's economy facing significant risks. According to the EU's Copernicus Earth observation system, approximately 206,000 hectares of forest in Spain have burned this year. The European Commission estimates that wildfires in Spain cost around €7.1 billion in 2022, which is about 4.5% of the country's GDP. This figure encompasses both direct firefighting costs and long-term economic consequences from rebuilding affected areas.

Economist Emilio Vizuete Luciano from the University of Barcelona states that wildfires often devastate local economies and disrupt trade in affected regions. Tourism, which is crucial for Spain, is also severely impacted due to the fires. Climate economist Sarah Meier from ETH Zurich analyzed economic losses in southern Europe and found that regions affected by at least one wildfire experienced a decline in growth rates by 0.11% to 0.18%. When multiple wildfires occur simultaneously, the decline in growth can reach up to 4.5%.

The European Environment Agency calculated that in 2017, wildfires across southern Europe caused losses of nearly €10 billion. The EU loses around 500,000 hectares of land to wildfires annually. Spain, Greece, and France are among the countries most affected by wildfires. The economic damage extends beyond tourism losses to include biodiversity loss, reduced forestry revenues, soil erosion, and destroyed infrastructure, as well as firefighting expenses.

Spain's approach to wildfire prevention has been criticized. Since 2009, investments in prevention have declined despite a rise in the number and scale of fires. Spending on prevention dropped from €364 million in 2009 to €144 million in 2024, while firefighting expenditures remained stable at about €417 million. Luciano emphasizes that prevention is a more cost-effective long-term solution compared to fighting fires after they have started.

In 2025, Forescat, a Spanish forestry services company, estimated that fighting and extinguishing wildfires in Spain cost around €19,000 per hectare. Nearly 400,000 hectares burned, resulting in costs of approximately €7.6 billion. Maria Inmaculada Marmol Tardaguila of MATS, a healthcare workers' organization, warns that continuing to rely on firefighting crews is both ecologically reckless and financially irresponsible.

She advocates for removing combustible materials from forests before fires start to prevent such economic losses.