Galicia is deploying artificial intelligence and an expanded satellite and camera network to detect wildfires earlier, after a region long considered one of Europe's most fire-prone areas suffered its most destructive season in decades last year.
The regional government is now implementing its "largest fire prevention plan in its history" with AI, a new app, more resources and a €213 million investment.
Wildfires burned more than 118,000 hectares across Galicia in 2025 — an area larger than Berlin, leading to them being referred to as "megafires" — according to figures released by the regional government, with the Larouco fire in Ourense becoming the largest single blaze in the region's recorded history.
Galicia's mix of dense forestry, an ageing rural population and land abandonment has long made it one of the most fire-affected regions in Europe, alongside Portugal and Greece.
How can AI help?
