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Too much of a good thing? Spring rainfall fuels wildfire fears in Andalucía
Andalucía faces an “extreme risk” wildfire season as spring rains trigger explosive vegetation growth
After months of much-needed rain across Andalucía, authorities are now sounding the alarm over a sharp rise in wildfire risk. The heavy rainfall that helped ease the region's drought has led to a surge in vegetation, which is now drying out rapidly as summer heat builds, creating perfect conditions for fires to spread.The President of the Andalucian Regional Government, Juanma Moreno, has warned that this year’s fire season could be especially difficult. Speaking at the launch of the Infoca 2025 Plan and the new Andalucian Emergency Agency (EMA) in Seville, he explained that the combination of abundant plant growth and rising temperatures means the landscape is now filled with dry, flammable material.
“We have just begun a campaign that is expected to be difficult,” he said. “This year’s abundant rainfall has generated much more herbaceous vegetation that, with the heat and dryness, is already turning into tinder that facilitates the spread of fires.”
The regional government has classified the current risk as “extreme” and is hoping for further rainfall in the coming weeks to help cool and dampen the land.
Despite the worrying outlook, Moreno expressed confidence in the region’s readiness. He praised the new Andalucian Emergency Agency as the largest in Spain, made up of more than 5,000 professionals, and described it as a “guarantee” of effective action and innovation in emergency response.
Infoca, the body responsible for wildfire prevention and response, is considered a European benchmark, with over 4,000 personnel ready for the season ahead. Last year, the emergency number 112 received more than 24,600 calls about forest fires. Over 2,000 alerts have already been registered this year.
Moreno highlighted recent successes of the EMA, which was created with a budget of €270 million and has already dealt with several serious incidents, including the Huércal de Almería fire on Friday May 3, severe storms, a major warehouse fire in Alcalá de Guadaíra, and the threat of a dam collapse in Almonaster.
“Thanks to the EMA, we can now approach emergency management from a comprehensive perspective,” Moreno said, explaining that uniting services like 112, Civil Protection, Infoca, and others under one umbrella has improved prevention, coordination and recovery efforts.
He also pointed to ongoing work on new regulations to strengthen Civil Protection across Andalucía, including a Self-Protection Decree and measures linked to the region’s 42 fire departments.
As the fire season begins, Moreno urged residents and tourists alike to help protect Andalucía’s natural spaces and to call 112 immediately if they spot smoke or signs of fire.
Image: Rudolf Jakkel/Pexels
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