Early fires in the Netherlands and Czechia offered a first test of EU emergency coordination
After Europe suffered its worst wildfire season ever last year, Brussels has given a boost to support for countries preparing for future blazes, but weak cross-border coordination and gaps in prevention still risk leaving the bloc exposed.
Last time around, the destruction began unusually early, in March, highlighting the growing impact of climate change. Europe went on to experience its hottest summer on record, and more than a million hectares of woodland, fields and moors went up in flames – an area roughly the size of Cyprus – nearly half of it on the Iberian Peninsula.
Farmland was badly affected by the blazes but, importantly, also served as a firebreak.
Log in to continue reading for free
