Drought, intense heat, and strong winds have caused unprecedented wildfires in Greece, Spain and many other parts of the world, with devastating consequences for humans, the environment, houses and infrastructure.

It goes without saying that effective firefighting plays a pivotal role in mitigating the destruction caused by these fires – and in protecting lives, property, and natural resources.

Last month, two Greek air force pilots lost their lives when their firefighting plane crashed. And yesterday, eighteen bodies were found in a forested area of Northern Greece.

Thousands have been displaced from their homes, seeking refuge in temporary shelters. The loss of lives, both civilian and among brave firefighters battling the blazes, has left communities grieving and nations in mourning.

The scale of the wildfires has therefore turned this natural disaster into a humanitarian crisis; and as can be witnessed through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, addressing these challenge does not only require robust firefighting capabilities, but also more and more concerted and coordinated European and international fire prevention tools and policies.

In the face of such a crisis, EU cooperation has played a crucial role in increasing firefighting efforts. Several European countries have joined hands to provide mutual aid and support, exemplifying solidarity in times of need. Firefighters from neighbouring countries, as well as those from further afield, have travelled long distances to offer their expertise and manpower.

So far, in the face of this unprecedented crisis, EU Member States have therefore demonstrated solidarity with the most severely affected countries. Yet, as the World Meteorological Organisation called July 2023 the hottest month worldwide, it is clear that now and in the future much more efforts are needed.

CESI General Secretary Klaus Heeger makes a call for a more integrated European approach to combatting forest fires: ‘We need to find better ways to cooperate at EU level for combatting forest fires. We need improved resource and expertise sharing, and common EU procedures and strategies to streamline our efforts in saving lives and our habitat. Recognising the crucial importance of firefighters’ work should also mean improving their working conditions, training, access to aircraft, up to date equipment, and not least pay. In other words: massive investments will be needed.’