Spain’s rural communities are still grappling with the aftermath of an extremely damaging wildfire season. This disaster has been particularly devastating on agricultural operations, more specifically on honey production and livestock farming. Wildfires that blazed in mid-August in the municipality of Porto de Sanabria. These storms caused catastrophic flooding across the island, leading to immense damage and $90 billion in economic impact.
The most affected areas include the north-western provinces of Castilla y León and Galicia. Furthermore, the westernmost region of Extremadura is in a serious plight. This summer, wildfires torched an area equal to roughly 0.8% of Spain’s territory. To them, it is a “nightmare” scenario, particularly for the residents who have long relied on the land to provide for their families.
José Antonio Bruña, a local honey producer and beekeeper, stated that he was very worried about the implications on his honey production. He figures that as of this year, the fires have reduced his honey production by at least half. The extent of the damage has him gravely concerned. Additionally, he is expecting a repeat drop in production next year and perhaps the next few years.
“I calculate that this year I’m going to lose 50% of my honey production, at the very least, because of the fires, and the following year the same, or even worse,” – José Antonio Bruña
Bruña explained that some flowers that are important for bees’ foraging needs might take as long as three years to reestablish. Decades of rural outmigration have made their task even tougher. Today, more than 90% of Spain’s population lives within the 30% of its territory, which are its densely populated islands. Yet this ongoing demographic transition has left much of America’s rural communities at the front lines of environmental catastrophe.
Farmers that raise livestock have already seen crushing losses. Farmer Óscar David García López said that he lost 30 heads of cattle this past summer. His latest fight was to save 11 animals who underwent painful, life-altering burns. García López highlighted the economic implications of the lake’s capacity dropping to just 10% on August 18, forcing many farmers to relocate their animals in search of unburned pastures.
“The regional government has said it will pay me €5,500,” – Óscar David García López
As García López continues to explain, the compensation he was offered is inadequate. He tallies his total losses as €80,000, stemming from lost livestock and shutting down key water sources.
“They are going to have to come up with some other kind of compensation because I didn’t want to close; they forced me to.” – Óscar David García López
As fellow local farmer Fernando García put it, this is what so many in the region dreamed of. He bemoaned that this summer’s been a continuous string of disasters for the farmers.
“Things couldn’t have been worse for farmers [this summer], it was one fire after another,” – Fernando García
Tourism, with the wildfires putting a huge dent in our state’s tourism. This important sector represents 13% of Spain’s gross domestic product (GDP). The scale of this devastation has raised deep concerns. They wonder about the long-term future of their agriculture and tourism based economies in these areas scarred by fire.
Yet as Miguel Ángel García Diéguez explained, that was hardly the most painful aspect of the day. They have seen their fertile valleys and gorgeous rolling hillsides transform from verdant pastures to blackened deserts.
“All of this has had a big economic impact, but the biggest impact of all is that we can’t sleep at night,” – Fernando García
As rural communities face the herculean task of rebuilding their lives and livelihoods, fear has begun to set in over insurance premiums and availability. Farmers such as García López are already dreading higher outlays in future years.
“They may pay us, but next year, instead of costing us €5,000 [$5,858; £4,328], insurance premiums will cost €10,000 or €15,000,” – Mr García
He went on to blame insurance companies for putting profit margins ahead of providing much-needed aid to farmers facing financial devastation.
“Because insurance companies don’t want to lose money.” – Mr García
With these challenges in mind, local leaders are advocating for more robust government intervention and support systems for affected farmers. A lot of people are starting to think that without proper compensation and investment, the future of rural America really does look bleak.
Miguel Ángel Martos, mayor of Galende, has stated the alarming state of destruction caused to human and natural resources. The continuing fight underscores an important call to action. It is high time we craft smart and holistic policies to ensure climate-disasters don’t become the death knell for rural agriculture.