At a research center in Ispra, Italy, a specialized team within the European Union’s disaster risk management unit is leveraging data to address the increasing threat of wildfires across Europe. Led by Fernando Sedano, the 12-member group operates the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), which integrates satellite imagery, weather models, and expert assessments to monitor and forecast wildfire activity throughout the continent.

Based by the shores of Lake Maggiore, the team provides crucial intelligence that supports coordinated firefighting efforts across the EU’s 27 member states. While national authorities manage fires within their borders, the EU facilitates resource sharing and strategic deployment of personnel and equipment where needed. For instance, their forecasts assist decision-makers in determining whether firefighting teams should remain in a particular country, such as Greece, or be redirected to areas like Cyprus.

The severity of Europe’s wildfire seasons has escalated markedly in recent years. In 2023, roughly 2.5 million acres (one million hectares) burned, nearly double the average recorded in the previous two decades. Early signs suggest 2024 could surpass these figures, with several heat waves already stressing ecosystems and fire danger alerts issued in countries including France, Spain, and Hungary. A recent wildfire in southern Spain resulted in at least 12 fatalities, underscoring the growing human toll.

Experts attribute these trends chiefly to climate change, which has extended fire seasons into traditionally cooler northern regions and caused them to start earlier and end later. Mr. Sedano noted that while two decades ago wildfires were predominantly a Southern European concern, larger blazes are now occurring at higher latitudes, a pattern that complicates fire management.

Despite their advanced tracking and predictive tools, the team cautions that data alone cannot fully mitigate the escalating risks. The intensity of upcoming fire seasons depends on numerous factors, including weather patterns, temperature fluctuations, and the frequency of heat waves. Sedano refrained from speculating whether this year will match or exceed the devastation seen in prior years.

The EU has prepared for its largest collective firefighting operation to date this summer, mobilizing 777 firefighters from 14 countries and deploying 22 aircraft along with five helicopters across a dozen nations. Since the beginning of the season, more than 100 personnel and numerous vehicles and planes have been dispatched to combat blazes in Portugal and Spain.

In addition to the EU’s system, national authorities and private entities provide more localized fire data and resources. The combined usage of continuously updated satellite information—potentially refreshed every 10 minutes—and artificial intelligence is helping the EU refine its ability to monitor fires in nearly real time and improve forecasting of fire behavior and progression.

Looking beyond reactive strategies, the EU is increasingly emphasizing fire prevention by studying vegetation patterns and promoting forest management practices that reduce flammability, such as creating fire breaks. This approach reflects a broader shift toward management tactics informed by climate projections and ecological understanding.

These efforts mirror initiatives in other fire-prone regions worldwide. Chris Field, a climate scientist at Stanford University, highlighted parallels with cooperative firefighting approaches in California and Australia, where shared resources and data are critical. However, he noted that prolonged and overlapping fire seasons pose global challenges to sustaining these efforts.

“With climate change, every year has the potential to be a record-breaking fire year,” Field said. He added that while 2026 presents particular concerns for Europe, the ongoing challenge will be making sufficient investments to stay ahead of increasingly severe wildfire threats.