Beyza Binnur Donmez
30 July 2026•Update: 30 July 2026
The UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) on Thursday called for greater investment in wildfire prevention and climate resilience, warning that increasingly destructive fire seasons across Europe and North America underscore the need to shift from emergency response to long-term risk reduction.
"Every summer reminds us that wildfire is no longer an exceptional event but an increasingly predictable consequence of a warming climate," Paola Deda, the director of UNECE's Environment and Forests Division, said in a statement.
While emergency response remains essential, she said, “our greatest opportunity lies in prevention, sustainable forest management and building more resilient landscapes and communities.”
According to UNECE, more than 434,000 hectares have burned across Europe this year. Spain has seen over 200,000 hectares burned, more than twice its historical annual average, while fires in France's Gironde region have destroyed about 42,000 hectares of pine forest and forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents and tourists.
The agency noted that the EU has warned that the wildfire crisis is moving eastward, with Greece and Italy expected to face increasing danger as heat wave conditions, drought and strong winds persist into early August.
UNECE said around 90% of wildfires are caused by human activity, "whether through negligence or deliberate acts," making stronger public awareness, regulations, and sustainable forest management critical to reducing risks.
It also warned that climate change is extending fire seasons and increasing both the frequency and intensity of wildfires, creating a cycle in which larger fires release more greenhouse gases that further accelerate global warming.
The agency highlighted investments in early warning systems, satellite monitoring, and AI-powered fire detection as key tools to strengthen resilience and reduce future losses.
"As climate risks continue to grow, strengthening forest resilience to fire is no longer only an environmental priority—it is an investment in public safety, economic stability and climate security," the agency said.
Show of solidarity
Speaking to reporters in Gironde – a region of southwestern France where wildfires are still raging – EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib said the response shown demonstrates “European solidarity in action.”
She said the EU prepares year-round for wildfire season and had anticipated this summer's crisis by pre-positioning around 800 firefighters from 14 European countries across six member states, including France.
Lahbib said Romanian firefighters are currently deployed in France's Var department, while Slovak teams are being sent to the Gironde region. She added that the EU has mobilized 12 aerial firefighting assets, including Canadair aircraft, light planes, and helicopters.
"We are active in Spain, just as we are active in Greece and we are active in Sweden. We are everywhere. That is European solidarity," she said, adding that it is important to stand alongside affected communities.
Türkiye, a candidate country for EU membership, also sent firefighting aircraft to both France and Spain to help put out the blazes.
