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Spain's 'donkey firefighters' are preventing blazes in an important national park

EuroNews · · 612 words · By Cristian Caraballo
Rural Regeneration Wildfire Prevention Sustainable Agriculture

The article describes several initiatives in Spain, including projects in Doñana, Catalonia, and Galicia, that use donkeys to graze on dry vegetation to reduce wildfire fuel. It highlights the role of these animals in environmental conservation and rural regeneration while noting that they are one part of a broader forest management strategy.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://euronews.com/2026/04/15/spains-donkey-firefighters-who-havent-let-donana…

analyticsAnalysis

10%
Propaganda Score
confidence: 95%
Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

psychologyDetected Techniques

warning
Loaded Language 70% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

13 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

info Single Source 5
check_circle Corroborated 3
schedule Pending 3
help Insufficient Evidence 2
info
“Several projects in Doñana, Galicia and Catalonia employ donkeys to clear forests and reduce plant fuel.”
SINGLE SOURCE
While evidence confirms the project in Doñana (El Burrito Feliz), there is no evidence provided in the search results regarding similar projects in Galicia and Catalonia to corroborate the full claim.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Donkeys in Spain are being used to prevent wildfires by grazing on dry vegetation in high-risk areas. The initiative, led by El Burrito Feliz, has helped protect Doñana National Park from fires for ne…
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/hungry-firefighting…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The Doñana in western Andalucía – whose marshes, forests and dunes extend across almost 130,000 hectares (320,000 acres) and include a Unesco-listed national park – has been at the centre of a furious…
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/27/spain-environm…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — (31 Oct 2023) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESSKhan Younis, Gaza Strip - 31 October 20231. Umm Mohammad al-Amoudy, a Moroccan married and living in Khan ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apRHfLuysm8
info
“These animals, which have accompanied humans for more than 7,000 years, are returning to the hills to clear the undergrowth”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence includes a Wikipedia entry on donkeys and a YouTube video, but none of the sources specifically confirm the '7,000 years' timeline mentioned in the claim.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The donkey or ass is a domesticated equine. It derives from the African wild ass, Equus africanus, and may be classified either as a subspecies thereof, Equus africanus asinus, or as a separate specie…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donkey
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Cute donkeys playing and cuddling. Watch funny donkey moments in this adorable compilation of one of the cutest farm animals in our opinion! •
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0_fctsOcI0
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — find out more about the Donkey Sanctuary on their website.
https://www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/
check_circle
“By August 2025, nearly one million hectares had burned in different regions of the country, the worst toll in three decades.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources confirm that 2025 saw record-breaking wildfires in Spain, with one source explicitly stating they were the worst in 30 years and another mentioning over 1 million hectares lost in the EU with significant contributions from Spain.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The fires in Spain in 2025 were the worst in 30 years, almost quadrupling the average annual area burned during that period.
https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/extreme-fire-weather…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Although last year was already considered severe, wildfire losses in 2025 more than tripled those figures, setting a new record. During the week of Aug. 12 alone, widespread fires, particularly in Spa…
https://www.turkiyetoday.com/lifestyle/eu-records-largest-wi…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Spain has seen nearly 350,000 hectares burned in 13 days amid 22 active fires, while Portugal battles multiple wildfires that have killed three people so far this year.
https://www.anews.com.tr/europe/2025/08/20/spain-wildfires-b…
info
“The scale of the crisis led to disaster zones being declared in Castilla y León, Galicia, Asturias, Extremadura, Madrid and Andalusia.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The search results for this claim provided general definitions of disasters and FEMA information, but no specific reports confirming disaster zone declarations in those specific Spanish regions for the 2025 fires.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — When a disaster happens, the response includes actions like warning and evacuating people, rescuing those in danger, and quickly providing food, shelter, and medical care.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disaster
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Below is a list of states where a disaster has been declared for Individual Assistance by FEMA. Select a state to see if your county is in a declared area and apply online for assistance.
https://www.disasterassistance.gov/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Disaster has its roots in the belief that the positions of stars influence the fate of humans, often in destructive ways; its original meaning in English was "an unfavorable aspect of a planet or star…
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disaster
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“Since 2014, 18 donkeys from the association El Burrito Feliz have been patrolling the outskirts of the Doñana National Park.”
CORROBORATED
Two independent sources (Time and a web search result) explicitly confirm that 18 donkeys from the association El Burrito Feliz have patrolled the outskirts of Doñana National Park since 2014.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Since 2014, in Doñana, Spain, 18 donkeys have patrolled the outskirts of the national park as part of a long-running prevention project managed by the association El Burrito Feliz.
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/hungry-firefighting…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — While Spain faces increasingly intense wildfires, Doñana National Park—a crucial refuge for European and African birds, Iberian lynxes, and other at-risk species—has not recorded a single wildfire in …
https://www.aol.com/articles/meet-firefighting-donkeys-spain…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Since 2014, a total of 18 animals from the El Burrito Feliz association patrol the perimeters of the national park. The donkeys that were rescued after being abandoned became, according to the preside…
https://vreme.com/en/svet/magarci-vatrogasci-pozari-spanija/
info
“Doñana has not recorded a forest fire in nine years.”
SINGLE SOURCE
One source (AOL) explicitly states that Doñana National Park has not recorded a single wildfire in nine years. Other sources mention the project's success but do not specify the 'nine years' figure.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Apr 7, 2018 · Welcome to Autodesk’s AutoCAD Forums. Share your knowledge, ask questions, and explore popular AutoCAD topics.
https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-forums/ct-p/autocad-e…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 4 days ago · Bienvenue sur les forums AutoCAD d’Autodesk. Partagez vos connaissances, posez des questions, et explorez les sujets AutoCAD populaires.
https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-tous-produits-forum/b…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Bienvenido/a al foro de los productos de la familia AutoCAD de Autodesk! Comparte tu conocimiento, haz preguntas y explora los temas populares de AutoCAD.
https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-todos-los-productos-f…
check_circle
“The project has even attracted the interest of the Military Emergency Unit, whose personnel visited the park and symbolically “adopted” one of the animals.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm the Military Emergency Unit (UME) endorsed the project and symbolically adopted/sponsored a donkey named UME.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Known as Doñana’s Firefighting Donkey Battalion, this unit is responsible for preventing wildfires in parts of Spain—all thanks to their seemingly bottomless appetites.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/donkey-fi…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The Military Emergency Unit (UME) has even endorsed the initiative, sponsoring a donkey named UME who sports an official firefighter’s helmet as a symbol of their valued role.
https://murciatoday.com/meet-the-donkeys-saving-spains-fores…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The donkeys of Doñana paid the ultimate price for human carelessness and the project’s lack of proper preparation.
https://hopsa.io/en/blog/post/travel-countryside,the-worlds-…
info
“donkeys have characteristics that are particularly useful for this job. Unlike cows or sheep, they can feed on much drier, rougher vegetation”
SINGLE SOURCE
While there are general sources about donkeys and grass, none of the provided evidence specifically compares the ability of donkeys to eat drier/rougher vegetation specifically against cows or sheep to verify this claim.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The donkey or ass is a domesticated equine. It derives from the African wild ass, Equus africanus, and may be classified either as a subspecies thereof, Equus africanus asinus, or as a separate specie…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donkey
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Why One Donkey Works Better Than Two. A common recommendation is to use a single donkey per herd rather than a pair. The reasoning is social: two or more donkeys kept together will bond with each othe…
https://scienceinsights.org/why-donkeys-are-kept-with-cows-b…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — What You'll LearnDo donkeys have a natural tendency to keep grass down?What type of grass or vegetation can donkeys effectively keep down?
https://petshun.com/article/will-donkeys-keep-grass-down
help
“In Tivissa (Tarragona), the Burros Bomberos project, launched in 2020 with three animals, now has around 40, which clear close to 400 hectares.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the search results regarding the 'Burros Bomberos' project in Tivissa, Tarragona.
help
“Since they were introduced, its promoters say, there have been no fires in the area.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the search results regarding fire history in the Tivissa area related to the Burros Bomberos project.
schedule
“In Allariz (Orense), the Andrea Association uses donkeys to maintain nearly 1,000 hectares within a biosphere reserve.”
PENDING
schedule
“Equipped with GPS, the animals cover up to 19 kilometres a day as they feed on scrub.”
PENDING
schedule
“Similar initiatives have also appeared in Catalonia, Galicia and the Basque Country”
PENDING
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.