On a hillside overlooking the charred slopes near Porto de Sanabria, honey producer José Antonio Bruña surveys the aftermath of one of Spain’s worst wildfire summers in decades.
“This August has been a nightmare for me personally, but also for the local farmers and everyone here in the village,” he says. “I’ve never seen a fire that fierce.”
The blaze near his village alone scorched more than 20,000 hectares (49,000 acres), forcing thousands of residents to evacuate. While his 1,500 beehives narrowly escaped the flames, the surrounding flora on which his bees depend was destroyed.
“I calculate that this year I’m going to lose 50% of my honey production, at the very least,” Bruña explains. “Some flowers won’t return for three years.”
Others were not so lucky. Many beekeepers in the region lost hundreds of hives, while livestock farmers saw their cattle perish in the flames. Fernando García, a cow farmer from Castromil, said he has already lost around 30 animals, including 11 that had to be put down due to severe burns.
“Things couldn’t have been worse for farmers this summer,” García says. “It was one fire after another. The economic cost is huge, but the worst part is we can’t sleep at night. It’s constant tension.”
Farmers’ association COAG estimated in August that agricultural losses had already surpassed €600m, citing destroyed fields, dead animals, ruined beehives, and damage to farming equipment such as antennae used to track livestock.
Insurance payouts may cover some losses, but farmers fear steep premium hikes in future.
Tourism – which accounts for 13% of Spain’s GDP – has also been hit hard. Although coastal areas were largely spared, rural tourism in the wildfire hotspots of Castilla y León, Galicia, and Extremadura has suffered. Sanabria Lake, a major natural attraction near Porto de Sanabria, was forced to close in mid-August, sending visitors fleeing as smoke filled the air.
“In August, this area was at full capacity in terms of tourism,” recalls Galende mayor Miguel Ángel Martos. “Then, on 18 August, it dropped to 10%.”
For local business owners, the sudden collapse in tourism has been devastating. Restaurateur Óscar David García López estimates losses of €80,000 after being forced to close two lakefront bars. Government compensation of €5,500, he says bitterly, “doesn’t even scratch the surface.”
Beyond the immediate economic impact, the fires have deepened frustrations in what is known as la España vacía – the “empty Spain” of rural depopulation. Residents complain of inadequate infrastructure and support, warning that climate change and shrinking populations leave them dangerously exposed to future disasters.
“It’s hard enough as it is to survive because of the price of animal feed and fuel,” says farmer Miguel Ángel García Diéguez. “And then on top of that, this happens.”
As Spain counts the cost of its nightmare summer, many here fear the scars – on the land, economy, and rural way of life – will last for years.