Effective wildfire management requires action across the entire risk management cycle – prevention, preparedness, response and recovery – with local and regional authorities playing a central role at every stage. This was the key message delivered by Dimitrios Kafantaris (EL/EPP), Municipal Councillor of Pylos-Nestor and rapporteur of the European Committee of the Regions’ opinion on Integrated Wildfire Risk Management, during a stakeholder consultation held today in Brussels.
Opening the consultation, Kafantaris welcomed the European Commission’s Communication as an important step towards a more resilient and coordinated European approach. He stressed that wildfires have become one of the European Union’s most significant risks, affecting not only forests but also public health, agriculture, biodiversity, infrastructure, local economies and Europe’s overall competitiveness.
“Local and regional authorities are not simply implementing policies. They are on the frontline of wildfire prevention, preparedness, emergency response and recovery. Europe’s success in tackling increasingly severe wildfires will depend on how effectively we empower them with the necessary tools, knowledge and resources,” said Kafantaris.
Looking ahead to the Committee of the Regions’ opinion, Kafantaris identified several priorities that should strengthen the European framework. He called for easier access for municipalities and regions to satellite services, digital technologies, predictive models and artificial intelligence tools; more systematic collection and evaluation of post-fire data; the creation of a European School for Risks and Crises to provide specialised training for elected representatives and civil protection professionals; stronger EU support for administrative capacity and skilled personnel alongside investments in equipment; and a greater shift of funding towards prevention and preparedness. He also stressed the importance of ensuring that farmers, foresters and land managers, whose local knowledge is essential for reducing wildfire risks, are fully integrated into future policies.
The consultation gathered representatives from European institutions, local and regional authorities, civil protection experts and stakeholder organisations to contribute to the Committee of the Regions’ forthcoming opinion on the European Commission’s Communication on Integrated Wildfire Risk Management. The opinion is scheduled for adoption by the NAT Commission in October 2026 and by the CoR Plenary in December 2026.
On 25 March 2026, the European Commission adopted its Communication on Integrated Wildfire Risk Management, setting out a comprehensive EU approach covering prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. The strategy comes after the 2025 wildfire season, during which more than one million hectares burned across the European Union, and aims to strengthen resilience, improve coordination, reinforce rescEU capacities and enhance cooperation between all levels of government.
