Forest fires

Overview

Wildfires are becoming more and more frequent in Europe, with damaging consequences for nature and biodiversity, people and the economy. Climate change also increases the risk of prolonged and severe wildfires. Taking action to prevent wildfires is one of the most efficient ways to tackle this growing threat.

Find out more in the Annual reports on forest fires in Europe.

Policies to protect the EU's forests against fire

The EU Forest Strategy for 2030 sets the basis for increased fire prevention and climate resilience of forests. Also, the guidelines on land-based wildfire prevention call for managing vegetation and avoiding the accumulation of fuels on the ground to facilitate firefighting.

The EU is working on measures to mitigate the unavoidable impact of wildfires and published the EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change in March 2021. The strategy underlines that adaptation needs to become faster, smarter and more systemic.

The Nature Restoration Regulation is a key tool for adaptation and mitigation efforts as nature lessens the impact of natural disasters such as floods, droughts and heat waves. Restored forests are less vulnerable to forest fires and droughts thanks to a more diverse distribution of tree species and agroforestry measures that make better use of soil moisture and reduce evaporation.