MEP Dimitris Tsiodras (PPE) has asked the European Commission to outline plans for increasing EU resources and instruments to improve fire prevention, detection and response, following the worst wildfire season on record in 2025. In a parliamentary question submitted on 28 April 2026, Tsiodras highlights that 1,079,538 hectares – roughly the area of Cyprus – were burned across several EU Member States last year, and warns that the likelihood of megafires is expected to more than double by the end of the century.
a forecast for increased resources and instruments, support for Member States in planning prevention and preparedness measures (including early warning systems and forest management), and the use of Horizon Europe to fund research and adoption of innovative technologies for integrated fire risk management. Tsiodras frames the issue as requiring a drastic increase in European instruments and further use of innovative technologies to strengthen EU resilience.
The question signals a push for stronger EU-level action on wildfire resilience, with an emphasis on prevention, early detection, and technological innovation. The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks; its answer will indicate whether it shares the MEP's sense of urgency and what concrete steps it envisages.
EU Member States would face new planning and preparedness requirements; EU research and innovation sectors could benefit from increased Horizon Europe funding; EU civil society and citizens would gain improved early warning and response systems; and EU regulatory bodies would need to coordinate and fund expanded capacities.