What is it?
Wildfires are uncontrolled fires that occur in nature or at the wildland-urban interface (WUI) and are often exacerbated by climatic conditions. Long dry spells particularly increase the risk of wildfires breaking out. However, other factors also have a significant impact, such as rainfall, wind, type of vegetation, the layout of the terrain and forest management practices.
In 2024, the Copernicus European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) reported that the total burned area in the EU lay at about 9% above the recorded average in the years 2006-2023, while at the same time, approximately 51% more fires larger than 30 hectares were recorded.
In 2023, the EU reinforced its joint rescEU firefighting fleet, ensuring better availability of firefighting planes and helicopters in the event of major and overlapping emergencies.
Why is this important?
2024 has been confirmed by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) to be the warmest year on record globally, and the first calendar year that the average global temperature exceeded 1.5°C above its pre-industrial level.
The fire risk is expected to further increase due to climate change. Europe’s wildfire season will increasingly be characterised by massive fires that claim lives and burn areas requiring longer recovery periods.
FST wildfires photo album 01In August 2022, several devastating fires burned large areas of forest in France and forced people to flee their homes. 
FST wildfires photo album 02In August 2021, immense forest fires broke out in various locations in Greece, including forests close to the city of Athens, on the Peloponnese, on Evia, Rhodes and Crete. 
FST wildfires photo album 03In 2018, Sweden experienced one of its most severe wildfire seasons. In the picture, the view of a burning forest in Kårböle.
The first months of 2025 (January to April) have witnessed larger than usual number of fires and burnt areas. There was significant fire activity in northern Portugal, northern Spain, southern France and the largest proportion of this burnt area occurred in the central area. Warmer than average temperatures also resulted in numerous fires in the Balkan region, Ukraine, Romania, Ireland and United Kingdom.
The overall situation in the European Union shows that burnt areas and the number of fires in 2025 are well above the average (2006-2024).
The wildfire risk has expanded to areas not previously exposed, moving well beyond the Mediterranean region to affect countries such as Czechia, Germany, and Sweden. This shift poses new challenges and results in significant societal, environmental, and economic losses across Europe.
Between 2007 and 2024, nearly 20% of all requests for assistance through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism were in response to wildfires.
In 2024, 20 EU Member States recorded more burnt areas than average, and the Mechanism was activated 16 times to respond to wildfires. The EU's Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) coordinated assistance for Greece, Portugal, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Albania, North Macedonia, as well as Guatemala and Bolivia.
Additionally, the Copernicus Emergency Management Service (Copernicus EMS) regularly produces satellite maps on demand to assist national authorities in responding to wildfires. In 2024, it was activated 27 times for wildfires worldwide.
How are we helping?
The EU Civil Protection Mechanism coordinates pan-European assistance, ensuring that all EU Member States and the 10 additional participating states receive timely information during crises. When activated by any country worldwide, the Mechanism facilitates the rapid deployment of resources and personnel tailored to the specific needs of each emergency.
At the operational core of the Mechanism is the European Commission's Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC). The Centre monitors wildfire risks and emergencies in Europe and across the globe, supported by national and European monitoring services such as the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS).
At the onset of each wildfire season, the Centre engages with national authorities from EU Member States and participating states to exchange information on prevention, preparedness, and response activities. It maintains close contact with these authorities throughout the wildfire season to ensure effective coordination.
In case of emergency, any country can request assistance through the Mechanism, enabling a coordinated, rapid, and effective international response. When major wildfires occur, Member States and participating states often demonstrate solidarity by providing firefighting planes, helicopters, equipment, and specialised teams.
The Mechanism co-finances the transport and/or operational costs of delivering assistance to the affected areas.
Preparing for wildfires
While national and regional authorities manage wildfire prevention, preparedness and response activities, the EU can co-finance and coordinate additional support when needed.
In 2019, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism was strengthened with the rescEU fleet, the EU’s joint strategic reserve, which includes firefighting planes and helicopters and is fully financed by the EU.
Since 2022, the EU has also been strategically pre-positioning firefighters from across Europe in the continent’s south during summer months when the risk of wildfires increases.
In 2023, the EU further reinforced its joint rescEU firefighting fleet, ensuring better availability of firefighting planes and helicopters in the event of major and overlapping emergencies. The EU also co-finances the stand-by availability of extra aerial firefighting resources to address potential shortcomings in wildfire response.
For the longer term, the European Commission has allocated significant financial resources to the acquisition of 12 new firefighting planes, to be based in Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Croatia, and Greece, and of 5 helicopters, 3 of which will be based in Slovakia, Czechia, and Romania. Confirmation of hosting locations remains pending for a further two helicopters.
These aircraft will form the ‘permanent rescEU fleet’. The first helicopters are expected to be delivered in 2026, with the first planes available during the 2028 wildfire season.
In addition to response efforts, the EU supports and complements the prevention and preparedness measures of countries and regions where a joint European approach proves more effective than separate national actions. These include conducting disaster risk assessments, encouraging research to promote disaster resilience, and reinforcing early warning tools.
Prevention, preparedness, and response actions complement each other to save lives and limit the further spread of fires. The presence of experienced wildfire experts, well-trained firefighters, advanced technology, and other assets near the emergency site can make a critical difference.
Preparedness measures in 2025
For the 2025 wildfire season, within rescEU, Cyprus, Czechia, Slovakia, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Portugal and Sweden have put together 18 firefighting planes and 4 helicopters at the disposal of other EU Member States in case of an emergency.
In addition, almost 650 firefighters from 14 European countries are strategically prepositioned in high-risk areas in France, Greece, Portugal, and Spain, to rapidly help local fire brigades when fires break out.
Furthermore, the European Civil Protection Pool counts 4 firefighting planes, bringing the total number of available firefighting airplanes to 22. On top of that, 20 certified ground firefighting teams, of minimum 30 firefighters each, and 1 forest firefighting advisory team, also included in the Pool, will be ready to intervene if needed.
Finally, a dedicated wildfire support and analysis cell will be established at the EU’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre between June and September to ensure a rapid and efficient coordination and response.
Operations in 2025
Israel wildfires
On 30 April, Israel activated the UCPM following wildfires raging in the vicinity of Jerusalem. Israel requested the deployment of 6 firefighting planes and 1 helicopter to support their response efforts.
A total of 8 Member States and/or participating states offered aerial firefighting support (Cyprus, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Romania, Serbia, Ukraine), of which the offers by Croatia, Italy and Cyprus were accepted.
Between 1 and 3 May, 2 Canadair airplanes from Italy were deployed.
A helicopter from Cyprus was deployed between 1 and 3 May.
On 1 May, a further 2 Canadair airplanes from Croatia departed, but their deployment was cancelled due to improvement of the situation and the airplanes returned to their base.
Operations in 2024
In 2024, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism was activated 16 times for wildfires.
Following a request for assistance from Cyprus, Greece sent 2 firefighting planes to help fight wildfires in the Paphos region.
Albania requested assistance 3 times in July and once in August.
In mid-July, Greece deployed 2 light aircraft for firefighting, and 2 additional European Civil Protection Pool aircraft were also mobilised.
Later that month, Greece deployed 2 more aircraft, and 2 extra planes from the rescEU reserve hosted in Italy were deployed.
In August, Romania deployed an aircraft with a large water-carrying capacity.
An EU liaison officer was deployed in Albania to help coordinate incoming assistance.
Bulgaria requested support in mid-July for response to devastating wildfires that were affecting the country. In total, 10 planes and 2 helicopters were deployed via the EU to assist local responders.
In the summer of 2024, Greece faced multiple wildfires. The national authorities activated the Mechanism in August and September, requesting aerial and ground firefighting assistance.
In August, Greece requested 6 planes, 2 helicopters, and 8 ground firefighting teams. Ground teams from Malta, Moldova, and Romania, including the firefighters already pre-positioned in the country via the EU, were among the first responders. In total, 2 planes, 2 helicopters, and 8 ground teams comprising 348 firefighters and 115 vehicles from Czechia, France and Italy were deployed.
The ERCC mobilised aircraft from the rescEU reserve hosted in France and Italy, helicopters from Serbia, and several ground firefighting modules from across Europe.
Coordination of the European response on the ground was facilitated by 2 ERCC liaison officers.
In late September, Greece requested assistance one more time for wildfires affecting northern Peloponnese. The ERCC mobilised planes from Italy, Croatia, Cyprus, and France, along with helicopters from Serbia and Slovenia, though the latter offer was later cancelled. An ERCC liaison officer was deployed to Athens on 2 October.
In late October, Greece activated the Mechanism requesting for assistance, 1 helicopter from Serbia was mobilised.
In July, North Macedonia activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism twice requesting firefighting assistance.
On 30 July, North Macedonia requested 3 planes and 3 helicopters, later amending the request to a total of 10 planes and 7 helicopters. In response, aircraft from the rescEU reserve hosted in Germany, Sweden, and Cyprus, along with helicopters from Czechia, Slovenia, and Serbia, were mobilised. Several spontaneous offers were also accepted, including helicopters from Slovenia and Serbia.
A liaison officer from the ERCC was also deployed to help coordinate incoming assistance.
Portugal activated the Mechanism twice for firefighting assistance.
On 21 August, Portugal requested 2 planes, and the ERCC mobilised assets from Spain. Coordination efforts on the ground were supported by 1 liaison officer from the ERCC. The request was closed by 28 August, after the planes returned to Spain.
On 16 September, Portugal requested 8 firefighting planes. The ERCC deployed aircraft from Spain, France, and Italy, while a deployment from Greece was cancelled due to unfavourable weather conditions, with France providing replacements.
Due to strong wildfires affecting Guatemala, the country requested firefighting assistance on 29 April, and a Forest Fires Advisory and Assessment Team (FAST) from Spain was deployed to support national authorities.
Bolivia activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism on 6 August, and France offered 2 firefighting modules with 110 firefighters, but the mission was suspended due to an improved situation.
On 9 September, Bolivia submitted an updated request for aircraft, fuel, equipment, logistics, and food. In response, Spain deployed a Forest Fires Advisory and Assessment Team (FAST) and a ground firefighting module with 41 firefighters.
On 2 October, Bolivia requested an extension of the FAST mission, and Spain agreed to extend the deployment with 5 additional experts.
On 28 November, Ecuador activated the Mechanism requesting aerial means, tools and equipment. The activation was closed without offers.
Facts & figures
Wildfires affect all European Union territories, from north to south and east to west.
Wildfire prevention, preparedness and response activities are closely intertwined.
Upon request, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism helps to coordinate rapid support for wildfires.
In 2024, the Mechanism was activated 16 times to respond to wildfires.
In 2025, the EU has put together 22 firefighting airplanes and 4 helicopters at the disposal of wildfire-affected countries who request assistance.
The rescEU firefighting fleet boosts the EU's ability to prepare for and respond to wildfires.