Can you respond to a fetchland activation with a spell or ability?

When you activate a fetchland (e.g., Flooded Strand), its ability is placed on the stack as an activated ability. Under CR 116.2b, any player who has priority may respond with spells or abilities before that ability resolves. Priority passes around the table normally after the ability is placed on the stack.

Importantly, the fetchland's cost — paying 1 life and tapping the land — is paid immediately when you activate it (CR 602.2). The land is tapped right away, but the sacrifice and the search for a basic land don't happen until the ability resolves. This means the land is already tapped when opponents get a chance to respond.

This creates a practical window: an opponent can cast a spell like Stifle (which counters activated abilities) in response to the fetchland ability sitting on the stack. If Stifle resolves first, the fetchland ability is countered and you don't get to sacrifice it or search for a land — though you already paid the 1 life and the land remains tapped (CR 602.2b).

Concrete example: You activate Misty Rainforest. It goes on the stack. Your opponent casts Stifle targeting the Misty Rainforest ability. Stifle resolves, countering the ability. The Rainforest stays on the battlefield (tapped), and you lose 1 life but find no land.

So yes — fetchland activations fully use the stack and are subject to the normal rules of priority (CR 116), giving all players a window to respond.