UN calls for stronger wildfire prevention as fires intensify across Europe and North America
The UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) has called for greater investment in wildfire prevention and climate resilience, warning that increasingly severe fire seasons across Europe and North America highlight 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," said Paola Deda, Director of UNECE's Environment and Forests Division.
She stressed that while emergency response remains essential, greater emphasis should be placed on prevention, sustainable forest management and building more resilient landscapes and communities.
Europe experiences widespread wildfire damage
According to UNECE, more than 434,000 hectares have burned across Europe this year.
Spain has recorded more than 200,000 hectares destroyed by wildfires, more than double its historical annual average. In France, fires in the Gironde region have burned around 42,000 hectares of pine forest and forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents and tourists.
The agency warned that the wildfire crisis is expanding eastward, with Greece and Italy expected to face increasing risks as heatwaves, drought and strong winds continue into early August.
Human activity and climate change increase wildfire risks
UNECE said around 90% of wildfires are caused by human activity, either through negligence or deliberate acts, underscoring the importance of stronger public awareness campaigns, tighter regulations and sustainable forest management.
The agency also warned that climate change is extending wildfire seasons while increasing the frequency and intensity of fires. Larger wildfires, it said, release significant amounts of greenhouse gases, further accelerating global warming in a self-reinforcing cycle.
UNECE highlighted investments in early warning systems, satellite monitoring and artificial intelligence-powered fire detection as key measures to strengthen resilience and reduce future losses.
The agency said improving forest resilience to wildfire is no longer solely an environmental priority but also an investment in public safety, economic stability and climate security.
EU mobilises joint firefighting response
European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib said the response to the ongoing wildfires demonstrated European solidarity.
Speaking from France's Gironde region, where firefighters continue battling major blazes, Lahbib said the European Union had prepared throughout the year for the wildfire season by pre-positioning around 800 firefighters from 14 countries across six member states.
She said Romanian firefighters are assisting operations in France's Var department, while Slovak teams are being deployed to the Gironde region. The EU has also mobilised 12 aerial firefighting assets, including Canadair aircraft, light planes and helicopters.
Lahbib said the EU is supporting firefighting operations in Spain, Greece and Sweden, describing the coordinated response as an example of European solidarity.
Türkiye, an EU candidate country, has also deployed firefighting aircraft to France and Spain to assist efforts to contain the blazes.
Source:AA
