Europe ‘dangerously unprepared’
A new report warns Europe is “dangerously unprepared” for a worsening wildfire crisis, flagging firefighting aircraft fleets and response capacity as priorities for urgent overhaul. The EU Commission has responded with a fire prevention strategy aimed at reducing economic loss and improving readiness across member states. (thejakartapost.com) (eunews.it)
A report commissioned by Portugal-based aerial services operator Avincis, titled “Up in flames: The challenges of fighting wildfires from the air in a hotter Europe,” was published at the Aerial Fire Fighting Series conference in Rome on March 24, 2026. (avincis.com)) The study notes EU forests lost more than 1.03 million hectares in 2025 — the highest on record — and says roughly 81% of that area was concentrated in just a handful of countries. (avincis.com)) Authors single out the size and age of Europe’s aerial firefighting fleet as the sector’s most acute operational weakness and say demand is rising faster than supply during peak months. (avincis.com)) The report welcomes a 2024 EU/De Havilland deal for 22 new DHC‑515 (Canadair 515) water‑bombers but flags that only 12 will form the core rescEU pool hosted by six member states, with deliveries staggered from 2027 to 2030. (dehavilland.com)) Avincis’ experts call for EU-wide bulk procurement frameworks to open second production lines and speed deliveries, quoting De Havilland CEO Brian Chafe saying bureaucratic red tape is slowing efforts to scale up manufacturing. (avincis.com)) The report also highlights a human‑resources bottleneck, noting a foreign pilot now faces more than a dozen steps to obtain an EASA licence compared with one or two in the United States or Australia, exacerbating operational shortages. (newsbreak.com)) The European Commission’s March 25 communication responds with an integrated wildfire risk management strategy that expands rescEU by procuring 12 firefighting planes and five helicopters and pledges improved early‑warning tools, AI‑assisted risk modelling, pre‑positioning of crews and data collection on firefighters’ long‑term health. (commission.europa.eu))
