Bison: Europe's New Wildfire Fighters?

Spain is grappling with a severe wildfire crisis, prompting investigations into novel solutions. A research project initiated in January 2026 by Rewilding Spain in El Recuenco, Guadalajara, is examining the role of European bison in mitigating wildfire risks. This initiative involves nine bison in a 400-hectare enclosure to study their adaptation to the Iberian ecosystem and their effect on woody vegetation.

The project's core hypothesis is that large herbivores like bison can naturally reduce the combustible material in forests by consuming and trampling undergrowth. Researchers are monitoring the bison's diet, stress levels, and vegetation changes using GPS devices, aiming to understand their contribution to ecosystem restoration and fire resilience.

This reintroduction effort is part of a broader European rewilding strategy focused on restoring degraded ecosystems and increasing their resilience to climate change. Similar projects, such as Wilder Blean in the UK, are also reintroducing bison and other large herbivores. The goal is to restore the ecological roles these animals once played, potentially offering economic benefits through ecotourism and job creation.

However, challenges remain, including the limited genetic diversity of the current European bison population, stemming from only 12 founder individuals. Further studies are needed to confirm the bison's effectiveness in fire prevention and to assess their coexistence with traditional forest uses like timber harvesting and hunting.