From 2001 to 2025, there was a total of 160 Mha of tree cover lost from fires globally and the latest data shows that forest fires are getting worse, burning more than twice as much tree cover today as they did 20 years ago, largely due to climate change. Combining a preventive approach with sound forestry practices and suitable machinery can make the difference between a controlled fire and an environmental catastrophe.
The combination of high numbers of burned hectares and the clear evidence that vegetation fuel management is essential to reducing risk means that compact equipment needs to play a prominent role in wildfire prevention strategies. It is advisable to incorporate mechanical clearing campaigns using compact machines before the period of highest risk. These actions should always be coordinated with regional forestry authorities, which establish specific prevention and land-clearing regulations.
How Bobcat Can Contribute to Wildfire Prevention
The Bobcat brand, internationally recognized for its compact equipment and wide range of attachments, offers specific solutions for forestry applications, vegetation clearing, maintenance of safety strips and underbrush management all round the world. Bobcat provides an extensive range of original attachments for this sector, such as forestry mulchers, tree cutters and stump grinders, which enable the removal of shrubs, brushwood, stumps and dry vegetation.
Clearing reduces the load of combustible vegetation in forests, decreasing the likelihood that a small ignition will turn into a major wildfire. In addition, shredding branches, shrubs or stumps prevents the accumulation of dry materials that can act as ‘bridges’ for fire spread. In areas where forests border homes or infrastructure, the use of compact machinery makes it possible to create reduced-vegetation strips or even mechanical firebreaks.
Thanks to their compact size, Bobcat machines can access hard-to-reach areas where conventional heavy machinery cannot operate, increasing the effectiveness of preventive work. Moreover, compact Bobcat equipment allows operators to manoeuvre between trees to reach cutting areas without damaging surrounding vegetation. In addition, Bobcat’s compact equipment and attachments can be easily transported from one job site to another, and in most cases, no special transport is required.
Wildfire prevention requires equipment capable of operating on varied terrain while keeping costs under control. Bobcat’s compact and manoeuvrable equipment offers a more economical and efficient alternative to traditional heavy machinery. In addition, the brand’s established presence facilitates access to spare parts, technical services and specialized training.
Tackling Wildfires in Spain with Bobcat Equipment
Whilst wildfires are a problem in many countries around the world, the summer of 2025 once again showed the high vulnerability of the forests and woodland areas in Spain to fire. According to data from the European Copernicus-EFFIS system, approximately 336,345 hectares burned in Spain in August 2025 alone as a result of wildfires. By 27th July 2025, more than 33,359 hectares had already been recorded as burned since the beginning of the year. In particular, two autonomous communities accounted for the vast majority of the burned area: Galicia, along with Castile and Extremadura.
These figures demonstrate that the scale of the wildfire problem in Spain remains alarming, both in terms of extent and geographic distribution. Therefore, prevention has taken on a crucial role. It is not enough to act only on the fire itself; action must also focus on vegetation by carrying out thorough clearing tasks and creating safety strips in forests and peri-urban areas throughout the year, as forest rangers have repeatedly emphasized.
Carlos Campos, Bobcat Compact Equipment District Manager – Iberia, adds: “Bobcat equipment and forestry applications are the perfect combination for this work. Thanks to the solutions we offer, effective forest management becomes easier. From land clearing to brush removal, log loading and planting new trees, Bobcat machines and attachments adapt comfortably to all types of forestry tasks. Our machines are capable of the most demanding jobs, while remaining manoeuvrable enough for selective tree removal or brush clearing.”
Versatility Through Specialized Attachments
Another fundamental aspect is the construction and maintenance of safety strips and access routes for emergency machinery. For firefighting teams to intervene quickly, forest tracks and access areas must be kept clear. In Spain, Bobcat loaders and mini excavators allow these tasks to be carried out efficiently, to open new access routes or maintaining existing ones.
Creating cleared surfaces around homes or rural settlements is also part of prevention strategies, and Bobcat equipment can quickly and safely remove biomass, clear brush and level the ground. One of the Bobcat range’s greatest advantages is its versatility through adapted attachments. Its catalogue includes tools designed to work in dense or hard-to-access vegetation. The ability to change attachments easily and efficiently, thanks to the quick-attach system, allows a single machine to perform multiple tasks.
Excavators: Surprisingly, Also a Key Ally
Carlos Campos comments: “The forestry cutter is the most robust and powerful solution available. It can operate in both high-flow and Super-Flow modes to perfectly match Bobcat equipment and harness its full power, delivering the best results when working alongside a tracked loader. As for the forestry mulcher, also known as a flail mower, it is ideal for cutting brush. It adjusts to follow the contour of the surface and is a perfect solution for working with both wheeled and tracked loaders. This attachment features a variable-displacement hydraulic motor, allowing the mulcher to adapt to the carrier machine.
“Another solution worth considering is the combination of our excavators with hammer or blade mulchers equipped with auto-levelling, which allows vegetation to be cleared on any terrain, including ditches, as well as removing shrubs and tall grass from neglected areas. With the help of the excavator arm, the hammer mulcher can reach places other mulchers cannot. A distinctive feature of the Bobcat solution is that the mulcher can be used while moving the carrier excavator—something competitors cannot offer.”
For more information about Bobcat products, attachments and services, visit www.bobcat.com
