Google Maps fire alerts and Spanish goat grazing combat wildfires

Google Maps includes a little‑known emergency layer that highlights active wildfires, floods and earthquakes with flame icons and colour‑coded severity. The feature also reroutes users around hazardous zones, helping residents and travelers avoid blocked roads and stay safe.

In Spain, authorities are using herds of goats—and a small, agile cattle breed called Cachena—to graze dry vegetation and create fire‑breaks. Researcher Raquel Tejedor of the Catalonia Forest Technology Center said, “Questo approccio ha il potenziale per dare un contributo decisivo alla prevenzione degli incendi boschivi.” The technique is supported by EU projects, though it requires subsidies because maintaining the herds is costly.

Both measures aim to reduce the impact of seasonal forest fires by providing real‑time information and by removing flammable plant material before a blaze can spread.