Europe's biggest wildfires send a clear message for preparedness: we must invest in firefighting capacity

EU’s 2026 wildfire season intensified rapidly since late June, withsignificant incidents recorded in Portugal, France, Spain, Croatia, Germany andthe United Kingdom. By 26 July, the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) had mappedapproximately 344,580 hectares of burned land across the European Union in 2026,of which 147,026 hectares were recorded during the preceding week alone,highlighting the rapid escalation of the crisis.

The response has demonstrated the complementary roles of national civilprotection authorities, the Copernicus Emergency Management Service (CEMS), theEU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), the rescEU reserve and the EmergencyResponse Coordination Centre (ERCC). Thousands of firefighters, emergencyresponders and other public service workers have been deployed to contain theblazes, often under extremely hazardous conditions.

CESI stands in solidarity with all firefighters and emergency respondersworking on the front lines. We express our deepest gratitude for their courage,professionalism and unwavering commitment to protecting lives, communities andthe environment.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger stated:

"The devastating wildfire incidents recorded since June 2026 inFrance, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, Croatia and Albania are astark reminder of the indispensable role played by firefighters, emergencyresponders and public services. The EU must do more by increasing support foraffected Member States, investing in emergency services, strengtheningcoordination, and reinforcing prevention, climate adaptation and resilientpublic health systems."

‍

What next?

The unprecedented scale and intensity of this year's wildfires underlinethe need to reinforce the EU's disaster preparedness and response framework.While existing instruments have proven their value, recent events have alsoexposed gaps that require stronger European action.

The EU should provide greater and more predictable funding to expandrescEU capacities, including the development of a permanently availableEuropean aerial firefighting fleet, enhanced satellite monitoring, AI-supportedrisk modelling, and a stronger network of cross-border training andpreparedness centres. As Alain Laratta, Secretary General of the Frenchfirefighters' trade union Avenir Secours, already highlighted  in 2021:

"To effectively combat forest fires across the continent in theface of climate change and increasingly extreme weather conditions, we need todevelop a coordinated European, and ultimately global, approach tofirefighting."

At the same time, Member States should be required to meet moreambitious and harmonised standards for wildfire prevention and preparedness.These should include mandatory national risk assessments, integrated land andforest management plans, minimum firefighting capacity requirements, regularjoint exercises, and the systematic implementation of preventive measures aheadof every fire season.

In line with the European Commission's Integrated Wildfire RiskManagement Strategy, the June 2026 Council recommendationon wildfires  and CESI's longstandingrecommendations, the EU must also invest more in the firefighting workforce bytackling staff shortages, improving occupational health and safety,strengthening training and continuous professional development, enhancingworkforce planning, and recognising the long-term health risks associated withfirefighting. The Council recommends an integrated approach to wildfire riskmanagement covering prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. It urgesMember States to strengthen cooperation, sustainable land management, riskassessment, early warning systems, long-term investments and post-fire recoveryto improve resilience against growing cross-border wildfire risks.

Finally, additional EU investment shouldaccelerate research and innovation in areas such as drones, fire-retardanttechnologies, command-and-control systems and early warning tools, whilesupporting the establishment of a European-financed aerial firefighting fleetand a rapidly deployable European firefighting task force. Stronger monitoringand enforcement mechanisms should also ensure that Member States fullyimplement agreed prevention and preparedness obligations. Effective wildfiremanagement cannot rely solely on solidarity during emergencies; it requiressustained investment, robust prevention measures and consistent preparednessbefore disasters strike.