Human negligence, not intentional arson, is the primary cause of forest fires in Catalonia, according to official data from the Generalitat. Between 1986 and 2025, nearly 29% of the 14,256 recorded summer fires were caused by careless human actions, compared to just over 25% deliberately set.

Josep Vilalta, deputy inspector with the Agents Rurals, the regional rural law enforcement agency responsible for fire investigations since 1994, explained that common negligent causes include uncontrolled agricultural burns, fireworks, littered cigarette butts, and machinery use such as angle grinders that spark near dry vegetation. “Today there are still people who throw cigarette butts during high-risk periods,” he said.

The Agents Rurals use a scientific method to trace fire origins, combining physical evidence, drone surveys with thermal cameras, and a specially trained canine unit to detect hydrocarbon accelerants. Once an ignition zone is identified, they reconstruct the fire’s spread to pinpoint its start. In complex cases, they collaborate with the Mossos d'Esquadra, Catalonia’s regional police.

In July, a man was arrested in Carme (Anoia) suspected of setting three deliberate fires, including one on 6 July that burned over 450 hectares and forced the confinement of 33,000 people. This week, a woman was detained in Llançà (Alt Empordà) after allegedly starting a 1,200-square-metre fire while cooking paella in a designated camping area. Joint investigative teams reviewed security camera footage, witness statements, and fire patterns to identify her.

Accidents and Climate Add Pressure

Accidental fires, such as those sparked by power lines, vehicle malfunctions, or machinery, account for 1,919 incidents since 1986. Natural causes, including lightning, total 2,215. Another 2,215 remain under investigation or undetermined.

Data from the current season, up to 26 July, shows 272 fires: 66 due to negligence, 58 from accidents, 46 deliberate, and 29 natural. Seventy cases are still being probed.

Fewer Fires Overall, But Risk Remains High

Despite public perception, the number of annual fires has declined sharply since the 1990s. From an average of 438 fires each summer between 1986 and 1999, the 2020–2025 average dropped to 264, a 40% reduction. The peak year was 1994 with 882 fires, while 2024 saw only 195.

Nonetheless, climate change is reshaping fire risk. Conseller Elena stated this summer was the most difficult in two decades, with extreme heat, low humidity, and strong winds creating dangerous conditions from 10 to 17 August. Yet thanks to strict prevention and rapid response, no major fires occurred during that period.

“We have demonstrated having a country capable of meeting the challenge we faced this summer,”

she added, thanking over 5,000 public service personnel, including firefighters, rural agents, and volunteers.

Elena confirmed that 60% of this summer’s fires stemmed from human activity, 40% due to negligence and 20% deliberate. She also announced plans for 100 additional Rural Agent positions next year to strengthen surveillance.

Big Fires Still Occur

The recent fire in La Jonquera (Alt Empordà), which burned 13,824 hectares, the largest in 14 years, was likely caused by human negligence, possibly discarded cigarette butts, according to investigations by the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, Food and Natural Environment. The area affected is 96% privately owned, where cork-stripping and selective logging were underway.

Lluís Parlon, Director General of Emergency Management, warned that climate emergency has created a new fire regime no longer a future threat but a present reality. He noted that 86.44% of this season’s burned area came from just two large fires, in Torrefeta i Florejacs and Paüls, highlighting how a few events dominate damage totals.

Primary sources: govern.cat. Reported by Gerió Digital, europapress.es, La Ciutat, vilaweb.cat.