Merjem Emir (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Every summer, Europe watches the same painful sequence: forests burn, communities are evacuated, skies turn orange and exhausted firefighters confront walls of flame. Political leaders promise more aircraft, emergency funding and reconstruction. Then the smoke clears, public attention moves elsewhere and preparation for the next fire season remains inadequate.

This cycle must end. Europe’s wildfires are no longer isolated summer disasters. They are a structural environmental crisis requiring year-round prevention, climate adaptation and responsible land management.

The figures leave no room for complacency. By 20 August 2026, the European Forest Fire Information System had mapped 1,768 fires of at least 30 hectares across the European Union, burning 619,613 hectares. By 19 August, the affected area was already more than twice the corresponding 20-year average. Although this remained below the catastrophic 2025 level, the worst in the system’s records, “not as bad as last year” is hardly a meaningful measure of safety.

The conditions driving these fires are becoming more dangerous. Copernicus reported that western Europe experienced its hottest combined June–July period on record in 2026. Persistent heatwaves coincided with exceptionally low rainfall and soil moisture in France, Spain, parts of Germany, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. Climate change does not light every match, but it increasingly prepares the landscape to burn, allowing an ordinary ignition to become a fast-moving emergency.

As an environmental sciences student, I am learning that a wildfire is never only about flames. It is where climate, soil moisture, vegetation, land use, biodiversity, public health and governance meet. Focusing almost entirely on emergency firefighting cannot produce a lasting solution.

Fire itself is not always unnatural. In some ecosystems, periodic fire supports regeneration. The danger increases when hotter conditions combine with abandoned farmland, accumulated dry vegetation, poorly planned development and uniform, fire-prone forests. Rural depopulation has also reduced grazing and regular land management, allowing combustible material to accumulate.

Europe must therefore move from reacting to fires towards creating fire-resilient landscapes. Forests and surrounding land need management throughout the year—not inspection only when temperatures rise. Depending on local ecology, measures can include controlled prescribed burning, grazing, agroforestry, removal of excessive fuel, green firebreaks and restoration of diverse vegetation.

The European Environment Agency says Europe’s response still focuses mainly on emergency measures and suppression. It recommends nature-based approaches such as fire-resilient vegetation, buffer zones, grazing, agroforestry and diversified forest structures. These measures can reduce risk while supporting biodiversity, soil health and rural livelihoods.

There is no single solution for every country. A Mediterranean pine forest, a Portuguese agricultural landscape and a Scandinavian woodland face different conditions. Prevention must combine local science, traditional knowledge and participation by communities, farmers, landowners, conservationists and fire services.

Governments must also confront the growing danger where housing meets forests and scrubland. Construction should be restricted where evacuation and fire defence are unrealistic. Existing communities need defensible spaces, fire-resistant building standards, reliable water supplies, clearly marked evacuation routes and inclusive emergency drills.

Europe must maintain strong firefighting and cross-border response capacity, but recognise its limits. Aircraft, helicopters and emergency crews save lives, yet they are the final line of defence. Under extreme conditions, fires can become too intense for aerial suppression until the weather changes enough for ground teams to intervene. No fleet can substitute for reducing risk before ignition.

Wildfire policy also cannot be separated from climate policy. Adaptation is essential, but adaptation without rapid emissions reduction becomes an endless attempt to manage worsening emergencies. Every fraction of warming affects evaporation, soil moisture, vegetation stress and the length of the fire season.

The consequences extend beyond burnt trees. Wildfires destroy habitats, release stored carbon, degrade soil, contaminate water, damage farms and tourism, and expose distant communities to dangerous smoke. Recovery can take decades, while some ecosystems may never regain their previous condition under a hotter climate.

Europe possesses satellite monitoring, scientific expertise, trained emergency services and substantial resources. The central problem is not lack of knowledge, but failure to convert knowledge into consistent prevention.

My generation should not inherit a continent where catastrophic summers are accepted as normal. Delay will only make future losses greater. The next fire season is already being shaped by today’s land-management, planning and climate decisions. Europe must act before the first spark—not after the sky has turned red.

Author is a BS Environmental Sciences Student from Bosnia and Herzegovina