Europe has drawn up a bloc-wide strategy to respond to the growing threat of wildfires (bushfires) which are getting larger, more frequent and more destructive.
The European Commission (EC) says its new strategy has four goals: prevent, prepare, respond and recover.
Among the highlights will likely be greater co-operation and exchanges, likely with Australia and other bushfire-prone regions of the world (see below).
Its current rescEU aerial firefighting fleet will expand by 12 new aircraft and five new helicopters with AI used to predict fire behaviour.
A firefighting training and operational hub will be established on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus.
Teresa Ribera is the Commission’s Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition.
“The number and intensity of wildfires across the continent is worryingly increasing, destroying ecosystems and infrastructures, impacting on people and the economy,” she says.
”Strengthening our prevention and resilience capacities and investing in healthy ecosystems will help us to reduce the most dangerous risks and lower the costs and damages.”
Fellow executive vice-president Roxana Minzatu says a culture of prevention needs to be built.
“Europe must be ready before the first fire starts. That means … equipping people with the right skills, supporting firefighters and first responders, and helping communities understand the risks they face,” he says.
“(The) strategy shows that prevention, preparedness and solidarity must go hand in hand if we want to save lives and strengthen Europe’s resilience against worsening wildfire threats.”
Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall says with fires becoming “more ferocious and more destructive” across Europe, it shows that economic resilience is directly linked to healthy nature: “protecting one protects the other.”
EUROPE ‘SET TO BURN MORE’
The EC says in a statement that it expects future bushfire seasons to worsen as climate change intensifies, involving more ‘megafires’.
“In 2025, Europe experienced its worst wildfire season since records began with over one million hectares scorched due to intensifying climate change and other drivers,” it says; its data revealed the recorded burnt area in four of the last five years increased.
“Restoring Europe’s nature is therefore key as healthy ecosystems are more resilient to wildfires.”
The EC wants to strengthen support for natural prevention measures partly by restoring and protecting natural landscapes, and will also provide updated risk assessment guidelines for member states to use domestically.
“Citizens across Europe are worried about the growing wildfire threat,” the EC statement says.
“According to a recent survey from the European Environment Agency, half of citizens surveyed are concerned.”
To boost preparation, the EC says it will continue to pre-position firefighters in risk areas and promote an exchange of firefighting experts.
“The exchange of experiences and further co-operation will also be promoted with wildfire-prone regions across the globe,” it says.
The EC will also keep developing a European Forest Fire Information System supported by its Copernicus satellite to improve early warning and fire monitoring with AI-assisted modelling tools.
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