The 2025 fire season was the worst on record for the European Union. Satellite-based analysis from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), managed by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, show that 1 079 538 hectares – equivalent to approximately the area of Cyprus – were ravaged by fire across several EU countries. This figure rises to 2 242 195 hectares when including the territories in Europe, Middle East and North Africa monitored by EFFIS.
A record-breaking season of fires in the EU
The 2025 fire season started early with over 100 000 hectares burnt within the EU by the end of March. The intensity gradually increased from June and peaked in August when very large fires spread across several Mediterranean countries.
A prolonged heatwave in the first three weeks of August triggered 22 very large fires in Portugal and Spain almost simultaneously. 460 585 hectares were burnt, accounting for 43% of the total burnt area in the EU.
In total, 7 783 fires mapped in 25 of the 27 EU Member States resulted in 1 079 538 burnt hectares (only Luxembourg and Malta were left unburnt). This marks the highest burnt area in the EU27 ever recorded by EFFIS since 2006, nearly double the 2006-2024 average. Germany, Spain, Cyprus and Slovakia hit all-time records.
The share of burnt area within Europe’s network of protected sites, Natura 2000, reached approximately 39% in 2025, similar to previous years’ figures. A total of 424 023 hectares were burnt within these sites.
Wildfires in European countries, the Middle East and North Africa
In total, 2 242 195 hectares were burnt across all the territories analysed by EFFIS in 2025. In particular, fire destroyed 1 092 095 hectares in non-EU European countries and 70 562 hectares in the Middle East and North-Africa.
Beyond EU borders, Ukraine emerged as the most impacted country in the area monitored by EFFIS, accounting for almost 30% of the total mapped burnt area and 39% of all mapped fires.
The 2025 season reflects a clear trend: an earlier start, more frequent and intense heat waves, and fires reaching higher latitudes than historically observed.
Strengthening Wildfire Risk Management
EFFIS remains an essential tool for monitoring wildfire risk across Europe and supporting authorities responsible for wildfire management in the EU and partner countries in their preparedness and response efforts.
On 25 March 2026, the Commission adopted a new integrated approach to wildfire risk management, covering prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. The Communication proposes a range of concrete actions to promote a more holistic and impactful approach to addressing wildfire management.
Within this framework, the Commission will further improve EFFIS’ tools for early warning and fire mapping and monitoring. Data from European-owned satellites partner international space agencies and European-owned satellites will be available on the EFFIS platform, allowing EU countries and citizens to easily access near real-time information.
Background information
As a component of the Copernicus Emergency Management Service run by the JRC, EFFIS plays an essential role in mitigating the impacts of wildfires and boosting EU preparedness by offering reliable, timely and standardised wildfire data across Europe. Since its inception in 2000, the service has consistently leveraged the latest advances in weather forecasting and Earth Observation data.
EFFIS is supported by the Expert Group on Forest Fires, a network of 43 countries that exchange harmonised information on forest fires and assess their impacts. It is also a platform for exchange of good practices on fire prevention, firefighting, restoration, and other fire management activities.
The Commission is also continuously strengthening its broad range of firefighting tools to better respond to the growing threat of wildfires in Europe.
The EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) pools resources from the 27 EU Member States and 10 UCPM Participating States, including firefighting personnel and equipment.
Additionally, each summer, the Commission finances the strategic prepositioning of firefighters in high-risk locations and the stand-by availability of a joint firefighting fleet, known as rescEU. Considering several record-breaking wildfire seasons across Europe, rescEU is being continuously reinforced to make sufficient aerial means available every year.
For the longer term, the Commission has allocated significant financial resources to acquire 12 new firefighting planes, to be based in Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Croatia, and Greece, and 5 helicopters, to be based in Slovakia, Czechia, and Romania. These aircraft will form the permanent rescEU fleet. The first helicopter was delivered earlier this year, and the first planes will be delivered from 2028 onwards.
O artigo foi publicado originalmente em JRC.
