Call for dedicated wildfire prevention fund in next EU budget
As fires rage across several European countries, a call has been made for a dedicated EU wildfire prevention fund.
Firefighters in France and Spain are currently battling to contain some of the worst fires ever seen in those countries ahead of more expected heatwaves.
Hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes.
Tributes have been paid to local farmers have used their tractors and water tankers to help emergency services on the ground.
Irish fire services have also been battling fires in recent days as a high fire risk warning remains in place.
Wildfire fund
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) welcomed the European Commission's communication on integrated wildfire risk management.
However, the EESC believes a structural shift in EU policy is needed, placing prevention at the heart of wildfire management.
In an opinion, the committee said that there is a structural imbalance between prevention and firefighting policies.
It called for a dedicated wildfire prevention fund to be established in the next long-term EU budget, or Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).
The EESC said this fund should be "strictly independent" of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) budget.
EESC
The committee also stressed that maintaining profitable agricultural, livestock and forestry activities is essential to preventing land abandonment, reducing fuel accumulation and lowering wildfire risk.
The EESC added that "active land management" should be a European strategic priority, directly linked to climate, food and territorial security.
This should be based on "close involvement" of local and regional authorities, farmers, foresters, civil society organisations and other local stakeholders.
The opinion also calls for a common European wildfire strategy that strengthens cooperation between member states and improves professional training for firefighters and rural communities.
"Wildfires are no longer a seasonal challenge confined to southern Europe, they are a European civil protection emergency," Luis Mira, the rapporteur of the opinion, said.
"Prevention must become our first line of defence, backed by a dedicated EU budget, professional training, and a truly integrated European strategy.
"The cost of inaction will be measured in lives, biodiversity loss, and the future of our rural territories," he added.
