PHOTOS: This summer has seen ferocious wildfires tearing across southern Europe earlier in the season than usual. More than 240,000 acres of land have already been destroyed across Spain, with a recent blaze in the south quickly turning into one the country’s deadliest.

Preventing wildfires has become a high-tech endeavor of satellites, drones and AI systems. But 80 miles south of Barcelona, an ancient solution is quietly roaming across the mountain. It’s a herd of donkeys.

Tivissa Donkey Firefighters, a nonprofit in southern Catalonia, rehabilitates mistreated and abandoned donkeys and puts them to work as “firefighters.” By grazing the most flammable grasses in mountains and rural areas, they carve natural firebreaks across the dry Mediterranean landscape.

Founder Joan Cedó Sans took in the first few donkeys in 2020; he now has a herd of 62, moving across the region to clear private and public lands thanks to their seemingly endless appetites.

“We’re grateful for the animals that we feel deserve a second opportunity,” he told CNN, in Catalan. Remembering the fires that swept near his land in Catalonia, northeastern Spain, in 2013, he decided to test if the first donkeys would clear the forest undergrowth around it. “They ate everything,” he said.

CNN World News

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VIDEO/PHOTOS: Firefighters battle a 2-alarm fire at a manufacturing plant in Arlington, and residents have been asked to avoid using water. The city first reported the fire via a Facebook post shortly before 6 a.m. Wednesday. Photos from the scene showed a ladder truck pouring water on the flames at Stella Jones on 188th Street.

According to the company’s website, the business manufactures pressure-treated wood products, steel structures, and utility pole crossarms. The fire is creating a lot of smoke in the area, and the city said a significant amount of water is being used to fight the fire.

“When firefighters open fire hydrants to fight a fire, this creates a high water flow through the City’s water mains. This sudden surge can loosen rust and sediment inside the pipes. As a result, some residents may notice temporary sediment, discoloration, or brown water in their taps,” the city said in a 7:05 a.m. Facebook post. “This is not harmful, but please avoid using water for the next few hours to allow the sediment to settle in the lines. If you need to use water, please use cold water until the color of the water clears.

KOMO-TV ABC 4 Seattle

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VIDEO: Firefighters continued working hot spots on Wednesday from the Malloy Fire near the Cheney-Tyler interchange on Interstate 90 after the fire destroyed three buildings but no primary residences. One of the families affected said the loss included a barn that had stood for roughly 135 years. NonStop Local spoke with the Resa family, who spent much of the day reflecting on what the fire took and what was spared.

The family lost eight chickens that did not make it out of their coop. Their cattle and goats survived. The fire started with little notice and left the family with little time to react or prepare. The family did not want to speak on camera while they process the fire, but they shared why the barn meant so much to them. The barn was originally built roughly 135 years ago and stood as a sign of hope.

The woman who built it lost her husband to a heart attack in the late 1800s. She then relocated from Nevada to the Cheney area, where she built the barn for a dairy farm business that supported her four children. Some of that woman’s family still lived in the neighborhood, and although the barn was gone, its history remained with them.

KHQ-TV NBC 6 Spokane

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A firefighter working the Kaiser Canyon Fire was airlifted after suffering a medical emergency, according to Spokane County Fire District 8. “Spokane County Fire District 8 line paramedic treated the patient on the fire line and provided care for over the one hour transport to Coulee City to a waiting Airlift Northwest helicopter,” the fire district said. It was not immediately clear the nature of the medical emergency.

KHQ-TV NBC 6 Spokane

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The Coeur d’Alene Fire Department to conduct training exercises Wednesday and Thursday at an acquired structure slated for demolition. The training will take place at 50 West Clayton Ave. Firefighters said that they will practice a variety of fireground operations throughout both days.

The fire department said that residents may see fake smoke coming from the structure as part of the exercises. The department said that the smoke is being used for training purposes only and there is no emergency. The building is scheduled to be demolished early next week.

KHQ-TV NBC 6 Spokane

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