Catalonia opens 522 sanction cases against electric utilities for fire‑prevention breaches

The Generalitat de Catalunya has initiated 522 sanction proceedings against electricity companies for not complying with forest‑fire prevention regulations, citing insufficient vegetation clearance around overhead lines. The enforcement action covers 325 cases filed in 2025 and 197 in 2026, after authorities identified 140 municipalities with extreme fire‑danger ratings. Electrical infrastructure was linked to 7% of the 437 forest fires recorded in 2024, including 30 incidents.

During the same period, Catalonia experienced an unprecedented wildfire season, with more than 3,000 hectares burned across major fires in the Gavarres, Sentmenat and Anoia areas. The regional fire chief, David Borrell, compared the conditions to the severe summer of 1994, attributing the surge to climate‑driven heatwaves, record temperatures and scarce rainfall. The surge in fires has intensified public debate over environmental policies and large‑scale projects such as the planned expansion of Barcelona‑El Prat airport.