Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction
A model for anticipatory action and integrated risk governance emerges in Brussels
Brussels, 27 May 2025 — As wildfire seasons grow longer and more destructive across Europe, driven by climate change and land-use pressures, a new strategy unveiled in Brussels last week aims to transform the continent’s approach to wildfire risk management.
At the heart of this shift is the Integrated Wildfire Risk Management (IWRM) Strategy for Europe, launched during a high-level event convened on 20–21 May by the Firelogue project and the EU Research Executive Agency (REA). The strategy is the result of a multi-year collaboration between leading scientists, policymakers, and civil society actors, supported by the European Green Deal through projects such as FirEUrisk, FIRE-RES, SILVANUS, and TREEADS.
Framed by the urgency of increasing fire severity and shifting hazard patterns, the event brought together approximately 150 participants—from EU institutions and national governments to fire services, NGOs, and research networks—to explore how Europe can move toward a more proactive and integrated approach to wildfire risk.
Integrated and systemic governance
While wildfires have long been considered an issue for the Mediterranean, their geographic spread and intensity are now testing response systems across the continent. In this context, the IWRM Strategy signals a fundamental pivot: away from isolated emergency response toward systemic risk governance, in line with global resilience agendas such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
The strategy offers a common framework for Member States and stakeholders to align efforts around shared goals, risk metrics, and governance structures. It emphasizes the need to build fire-resilient landscapes, improve coordination across sectors, and strengthen the capacity of local authorities to plan and act before disaster strikes.
“We are no longer dealing with exceptional events, but with recurring climate-driven risks that demand long-term, integrated solutions,” said Claudia Berchtold, one of the lead authors of the strategy paper.
Bridging Science, Policy, and Practice
Throughout the two-day event, attendees engaged in knowledge exchange and hands-on demonstrations that showcased how innovation can enhance preparedness. Tools presented included drone-based fire monitoring, mobile applications for rapid response, and immersive training environments using virtual reality.
Importantly, these technological advances are not stand-alone solutions. They are embedded within the strategy’s broader emphasis on data-informed decision-making, community engagement, and institutional learning. These align closely with UNDRR’s call for whole-of-society approaches and multi-stakeholder coordination in disaster risk reduction.
One keynote focused on the importance of stakeholder inclusion, particularly the empowerment of local and regional authorities who often bear the brunt of wildfire impacts. Another panel addressed the challenge of integrating early-warning systems with planning processes, land management, and social protection policies—key to reducing vulnerability and exposure.
Collaborative Risk Governance in Action
The event’s high-level roundtable included participation from the European Commission’s DG Environment, DG ECHO, and the Joint Research Centre, as well as international partners such as the World Bank. Discussions underscored the importance of interoperability between national systems and the role of cross-border partnerships in managing transboundary risk.
To foster long-term collaboration, the strategy proposes integrated risk assessments, the creation of better collaboration at multiple scales e.g by the means of regional Fire Forums—multi-stakeholder platforms designed to facilitate joint planning, capacity-building, and peer learning across Europe. These would support the goals of both the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and global DRR frameworks by connecting practitioners, scientists, and policymakers in a continuous cycle of preparedness and adaptation.
Toward Fire-Smart Landscapes and Societies
In its closing session, the event turned toward the future. Project representatives reflected on four years of EU-funded research and laid out priorities for the coming decade: from scaling risk-reduction solutions to embedding wildfire preparedness into broader climate adaptation strategies.
“We need to act on the knowledge we’ve built—to invest in fire-smart landscapes, strengthen local capacities, and accelerate knowledge transfer,” said Krishna Chandramouli, another key contributor to the strategy.
For UNDRR and its partners, the IWRM Strategy offers not only a blueprint for Europe, but also a replicable model of how countries and regions can integrate disaster risk reduction into climate action, land management, and sustainable development planning. “It connects closely with the Making Cities Resilient 2030 Initiative and its recent report Flames of change: Innovating heat and wildfire governance for inclusive communities” say Andrew Mackey Bower, UNDRR Programme Management Officer who joined the event.
A Regional Strategy with Global Relevance
The Brussels event marked more than the launch of a new policy—it was a demonstration of what anticipatory action and collaborative risk governance can look like in practice. As wildfires grow more complex and interconnected, Europe’s strategy stands as a timely and relevant contribution to global DRR efforts.
To access the full strategy proposal working document, visit: An Integrated Wildfire Risk Management Strategy for the EU: developing resilient landscapes and safer communities