Criticism of the use of EU funds: forest fire prevention remains weak!

Criticism of the use of EU funds: forest fire prevention remains weak!

In a recent special report, the European Court of Auditors criticized the inadequate use of EU aid to combat forest fires. These measures have increased particularly as part of the Corona Recovery Fund (ARF), with spending on preventive forest fire fighting increasing in recent years. Members such as Greece, Spain, Poland and Portugal were sampled in the analysis. Small newspaper reports that in Portugal in particular, the share of spending on prevention measures increased from 20% in 2017 to 61% in 2022.

However, the difficulty remains in the fact that there is a lack of central data on the amount of funding. The report highlights that there is no uniform strategy for combating forest fires, which significantly limits the effectiveness of the measures. Additionally, the increased focus on prevention strategies, such as creating firebreaks and replacing highly flammable vegetation, is seen as positive ORF.

Challenges of forest fire prevention

In many affected regions, such as Galicia in Spain, since 2018 most funds have been used for prevention measures. Another critical point of the report is that the risk of forest fires has been significantly exacerbated by climate change, while the main cause of the fires is often human activity. Forest fires in the EU have not only become more frequent but also more intense in recent years. Between 2021 and 2024, there were an annual average of 1,900 forest fires, three times as many as in the period from 2006 to 2010, and an average of more than 5,250 square kilometers of forest area burned each year Small newspaper.
According to the European Court of Auditors report, the list of areas at risk of forest fires in Greece is over 45 years old, which strongly questions the relevance and timeliness of the measures.

In addition, EU funds are flowing to regions where outdated hazard maps are used, leading to flooded areas in Portugal, for example. These challenges show that there is a lack of coordinated monitoring of the measures used and better planning for future prevention measures.

Long-term strategies and solutions

The EU Commission is working on a new forest strategy, which was already announced as part of the European Green Deal 2021. This strategy is intended to promote the afforestation and conservation of forests in Europe. Climate change is not only a challenge for forest fire prevention, but is also exacerbating problems such as droughts and bark beetle infestations. Therefore, new management principles are also needed to increase forest resilience to fires EU Commission.

EASAC warns that the likelihood of intense wildfires could be twice as high by 2100. To counteract these developments, experts emphasize the need for more than just deforestation and building corridors. Prevention must also include climate protection and renaturation in order to prevent irreversible damage.