Meet the 'Firefighter Donkeys' Helping Stop Wildfires in Spain

Help in preventing the wildfires in Spain is coming from an unlikely place. Read on for how crews are leaning on donkeys to help to tame the historic infernos that are raging across the region.

How Donkeys Are Lending a Hand in Preventing Wildfires in Spain

It has been a devastating wildfire season for southern Europe, with Spain in the middle of the activity. Over 240,000 acres have already been lost this season in Spain, forcing crews to turn to unconventional sources to fight back the flames.

Many jurisdictions are leaning on technology to fight fires, including the use of drones, satellites, and informative AI systems. However, some areas are using an approach that is not at all high-tech.

In a rural area about 80 miles south of Barcelona, firefighters are using a herd of donkeys to help prevent the fires from starting in the first place. The use of these animals to fight fires goes back centuries, proving that sometimes what worked in ancient times is still applicable today.

Tivissa Donkey Firefighters, a nonprofit organization in southern Catalonia, rehabilitates abused and abandoned donkeys and empowers them to help with the wildfire crisis. The donkeys graze on the most flammable vegetation in the mountains, naturally carving firebreaks across the parched landscape.

The idea of using animals to prevent wildfires has been used all over the world. For instance, California is home to a booming "goatscaping" industry, where goat herds are rented to graze remote hillsides that are challenging for humans to clear.

Tivissa Donkey Firefighters founder Joan Cedó Sans started the organization in 2020 with just a few donkeys. Today, he has a herd of 62 animals that move across the region to clear the land.

Cedó now serves as the mayor of Tivissa; however, the organization lives on and is handled by Jordi García. The group believes that the project benefits both the humans and the donkeys. While the animals prevent fires, the work also provides what Cedó called a "dignified life" for the herd. The group also gives medical care to the donkeys and ensures that they are always well fed.

Donkeys are natural grazers that are attracted to the type of grass that dries out over the summer. This makes these animals a natural fit in trying to stop the onset and spread of fires. Cedó notes that “The work donkeys do, neither goats nor sheep can do.“ He went on to detail how "They weigh more, so every time they tread, they tread harder, they eat more.” Because donkeys weigh more than goats, they trample the grass, making it less likely to be susceptible to catching fire.

The European Union saw its most destructive wildfire season on record in 2025. Spain lost nearly a million acres to fires, making the work of the donkeys more important than ever moving forward.

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