In Spain & South Africa, communities use restoration to ‘grow’ fire insurance (commentary)

In Catalonia's Muga Valley, decades of forest abandonment left woodlands dense enough to fuel extreme crown fires and to intercept rainfall meant for a reservoir that fell to 18% capacity after 2022 droughts. Residents are now removing excess biomass to reduce fire risk while letting more water reach the aquifer, coordinated by the group Pioneers of Our Time.

In South Africa's Langkloof, fire suppression and invasive pine have disrupted a fynbos ecosystem that actually depends on periodic burning, contributing to a 20,000-hectare fire in December 2025. Farmers, foresters, and conservation groups are now coordinating a regional Fire Fund covering prescribed burns, invasive species removal, and watershed restoration.

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