As Europe wildfires grow in scale and intensity across France and Spain, the European Commission is considering new measures to strengthen wildfire prevention, improve forest management and reinforce the EU's emergency response capacity.
Europe wildfires expose the need for a stronger EU strategy
The European Commission is preparing to assess whether additional measures are needed to strengthen the European Union’s response to Europe wildfires, following the devastating blazes still burning across France and Spain. According to European Commissioner for Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib, tackling increasingly destructive wildfire seasons will require not only greater financial resources, but also stronger forest management policies and more effective prevention strategies. The fires have further strained regions already suffering from extreme heat and prolonged drought.
France and Spain are experiencing what the Commission has described as an exceptionally severe wildfire season. Emergency services remain engaged in a race against time after more than 300,000 people were evacuated. Recent analysis by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) shows that the extent of this year’s Europe wildfires is already well above long-term historical averages.
The EU says climate adaptation must keep pace with rising wildfire risks
“Our priority is to extinguish the fires, support efforts to save lives and bring these wildfires under control as quickly as possible. However, once the emergency phase is over, as we always do, we will carefully assess our overall response to this crisis. The Commission will learn from this summer and evaluate whether further measures or initiatives are necessary. Our policies continuously evolve based on experience,” Commissioner Hadja Lahbib told Politico’s Playbook.
Speaking separately to Reuters, Lahbib added: “Climate change is accelerating. As a result, our response must evolve just as quickly. We need to prepare for risks before disasters strike, rather than simply reacting afterwards.”
She stressed that purchasing additional firefighting aircraft alone will not be enough. Member States should devote a larger share of EU funding to effective forest management practices that reduce wildfire risks while expanding public awareness campaigns about behaviours that trigger fires. Around 90% of wildfires are caused by human activity, including unattended campfires and discarded cigarette butts, the Commissioner noted.
Firefighting remains the responsibility of Member States
Despite growing EU involvement, wildfire suppression remains primarily the responsibility of national governments. The European Commission can intervene only when Member States request assistance through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and the rescEU reserve, which is currently facing unprecedented pressure because several countries have requested support simultaneously.
European civil protection assistance includes emergency supplies such as medicines, temporary shelters and water purification units. It also deploys specialised teams, including firefighters and rescue personnel, supported by experts who coordinate operations on the ground.
So far, the EU has provided substantial support to both France and Spain. In France, seven aircraft and four helicopters were deployed from Czechia, Croatia, Germany, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden and Türkiye, with most aircraft belonging to the permanent rescEU firefighting fleet. In Spain, the EU mobilised six aircraft from Greece, Italy and Türkiye, alongside 134 emergency personnel and 41 vehicles supplied by Portugal.
Future EU policies on Europe wildfires are taking shape
The most likely next step is the publication of European Commission guidelines on integrated wildfire risk management. These non-binding recommendations would provide Member States with a roadmap covering prevention, land management and operational coordination. According to Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, the initiative would complement the gradual expansion of rescEU.
The next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the EU’s seven-year budget, has not yet been finalised, leaving room for additional funding. As part of a compromise proposal, Cyprus, which held the rotating Presidency of the Council during the first half of the year, allocated €9.73 billion to the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The European Commission has proposed increasing crisis-response funding to €10.7 billion, while the European Parliament is pushing for €12 billion and is also considering new legislation to encourage greater public participation in wildfire prevention.
Although the EU’s permanent firefighting fleet has so far received only €600 million in funding, European officials acknowledge that equipment alone cannot solve the challenge. As one EU official remarked: “You can buy 24 Canadair aircraft. You can even buy 50. It will never be enough.”
