Catalonia grapples with forest fire cleanup and rising agricultural red tape

One year after a forest fire devastated the Baix Ebre municipalities of Paüls, Xerta, Aldover, Alfara de Carles and Tivenys, more than 2,000 hectares of forest remain charred. Volunteers from the Agrupació de Defensa Forestal report that while new growth is visible, large amounts of dead timber are still standing, posing safety risks. Mechanical clearing was limited to accessible road edges, leaving steep, remote areas untouched and requiring manual work to prevent erosion and falling pine trees.

Recent wildfires in the Gavarres and other parts of the Empordà have reignited debate over land management in Catalonia. Farmers cite declining profitability, generational change, urban pressure and increasingly complex regulations as reasons for fewer people working the land. The mandatory Declaració Única Agrària (DUN) now demands constant updating of parcel data, while digital monitoring and stricter controls on pesticides, fertilizers and water protection add further administrative burdens.