Sixth‑Generation Wildfires Surge in Iberia, Prompt Ecofire Breakthrough

Researcher Domingos Xavier Viegas warned that “sixth‑generation” wildfires – fires releasing more than 10 megawatts per metre and sometimes exceeding 60 MW/m – are becoming more frequent in Spain, France and Portugal as climate change intensifies fire behaviour. These fires generate their own wind, making them extremely hard to suppress with conventional aerial or ground tactics, and have already forced evacuations in several towns.

In response, Spain has developed Ecofire, a water‑based organic fluid claimed to be 30–40 times more effective than plain water. When heated to 100 °C it forms a solid insulating layer that blocks heat transfer, allowing it to be sprayed safely on vegetation, animals and people. The product reduces water consumption, can be used with existing firefighting equipment, and is promoted as an ecological alternative for combating the increasingly severe forest fires across the Iberian Peninsula.