EU approach on Integrated Wildfire Risk Management

This page is also available in:

Ongoing (updated on 22/04/2026) - Bureau decision date: 17/03/2026
Reference
NAT/989-EESC
Opinion Type
Optional
Referral
COM(2026) 330 final
Rapporteur
Luís MIRA
Employers - GR I
Portugal
Plenary session number
607
-
Disaster prevention
Food security
Health
Infrastructure

Practical information

1. Composition of the study group
2.    Administrators / Assistant in charge: Arturo INIGUEZ YUSTE, Frida VIKLUND RUNDGREN / Isabel ANTUNES
3.    Contact

Background

On 25 March, the European Commission published a Communication on integrated wildfire risk management, responding to increasingly frequent, intense and destructive wildfires. The summer of 2025 marked a record in the areas burned by wildfires in the EU, exceeding 1 million hectares, triggering frequent activations of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism. Wildfires have intensified due to climate change, with the past three years being the hottest ever recorded, leading to more mega-fires that are difficult to control. The consequences of wildfires are substantial and affect society, the economy, the environment, the climate, infrastructure, cultural heritage, public health, and food security, causing estimated annual damages of EUR 2.5 billion. The main risk factors for wildfires are climate change, changes in land management, and human behaviour, with human activity causing up to 96% of ignitions.

In line with the Preparedness Union Strategy, the Communication provides guidance and practical recommendations for national and regional authorities and stakeholders. It builds on wide consultations and aims to reinforce cooperation in addressing increasingly complex wildfire risks.