Forest fires hit Spain and France In Spain, an almost forgotten cattle breed is returning to the fields with a new mission: to help manage rural areas and reduce the risk of forest fires. The Cachena cow, small, resistant and adapted to mountainous terrain, is being reintroduced by farmers in Galicia, a region in the northwest of the country, to consume plants that can serve as fuel for the flames. ?Europe is facing one of the most severe fire seasons in recent years. In Spain, more than 77 thousand hectares have already been burned in 2026 amid intense heat and dry weather. Known locally as "goat cow", the Cachena is considered the smallest cattle breed in the Iberian Peninsula. The nickname comes from the animal's small size, long horns and ability to travel through difficult-to-access areas. The breed is also known for its rusticity and ability to feed on different types of vegetation, a characteristic that has come to be valued by producers in areas with a greater risk of fires. Forest fires force 330,000 people to leave in France and Spain Cachena cows in Serra do Galineiro, in Gondomar, Spain REUTERS/Miguel Vidal Read more at: https://forbes.com.br/forbes-agro/2026/07/agricultores-da-espanha-reintrodusem-ovelhas-e-vacas-nativas-para-que-comam-plantas-inflamaveis/ From rural abandonment to the return of herds The return of Cachena is linked to changes in the Spanish countryside in recent decades. The expansion of pine and eucalyptus plantations for industrial use, combined with the abandonment of rural areas, has left land unmanaged and favored the growth of plants that can accelerate the spread of fire. After a fire that hit the community of Vincios, in Galicia, in 2017, local associations began to recover an old practice: using native animals to control vegetation. In addition to Cachena cows, producers use goats and sheep, which help consume bushes and other plants present in rural areas. Cows of the Cachena breed in Serra do Galineiro, in Gondomar, Spain REUTERS/Miguel Vidal Native breed grows again in Galicia The strategy also helped to recover traditional animals that lost space in the Spanish countryside. According to the regional association BOAGA, the number of native animals in Galicia went from just over 1,800 at the end of the 1990s to more than 30,000 at the beginning of 2026. In the case of Cachena, the herd grew from around 400 animals to approximately 8,000. The regional government created incentives to encourage producers to keep young animals in the herd, while local initiatives helped to expand the breed's reproduction. Cows with GPS help control rural areas. In some communities, animals roam freely with GPS collars, without the need for traditional fences. According to local producers, creation maintains vegetation at controlled levels without completely eliminating the natural environment. The objective is to reduce the accumulation of plants that could encourage the spread of the flames. *Contains information from Reuters