Can you respond to a fetchland activation with a land destruction spell?

When you activate a fetchland (e.g., Flooded Strand), its ability goes on the stack. Before that ability resolves, both players receive priority and may cast spells or activate abilities in response. This is a fundamental part of how the stack works (CR 116.1, 116.3).

Land destruction spells like Wasteland or Stone Rain target or destroy the fetchland itself — the permanent on the battlefield. If a land destruction spell resolves after the fetch ability is already on the stack, the fetch ability will still resolve even though the land has been destroyed. This is because the ability is independent of its source once it's on the stack (CR 112.7a).

However, if your opponent wants to counter the fetch ability (with something like Stifle), they must do so before it resolves. Destroying the land after the ability is on the stack does NOT counter the ability — it just means you lose the land without being able to activate it again later.

Concrete example: You activate Windswept Heath, putting its ability on the stack. Your opponent casts Stone Rain targeting Windswept Heath. Stone Rain resolves and destroys the land. Then the fetch ability resolves — you still search your library for a Forest or Plains and put it into play. The land is gone, but the search still happens.

The key takeaway: if an opponent wants to prevent you from fetching, they must either destroy the land before you activate it, or use an ability-counter effect like Stifle on the stack. Simply destroying the land in response to the activation does not stop the search.