Fires are a natural part of the Earth system. However, the frequency, intensity and impact of large-scale forest fires in Europe are currently increasing. Between 2000 and 2024, fires affected the European Union Member States. the European Environment Agency (EEA) on average 3,770 km² of land per yearIn response to this growing problem, attention is turning to Nature-based Solutions (NbS), which have the potential to reduce fire risk and increase the overall resilience of European forests to climate change.

Growing fire risk and a paradigm shift

The increasing risk of forest fires is driven by climate change, such as higher temperatures and prolonged droughts, but also by changes in land use. These conditions create more days per year with high fire risk. Conventional practices, such as monoculture forestry and land abandonment in rural areas (especially in southern Europe), exacerbate this situation. The wildland-urban interface (WUI), which covers an estimated 7.4 % of the EEA’s land area33, is also of great concern. It is in the WUI that the risk of fires and their impacts is highest, with most fires being initiated by human activity.

In addition, changing conditions make forests more vulnerable to insect and disease damage, which affects more than 10,000 km² annually. Dead trees, such as those caused by the European larch disaster, are in the first few years after death very flammable.

Traditional fire management strategies in the EU have primarily focused on fire suppression and emergency response to reduce burned areas. However, in the long term, such an approach can lead to homogeneous landscapes with high accumulations of combustible material (fuel load), which actually increases the risk of large-scale fires. NbS are key to the transition from fire suppression to longer-term risk management and recovery.

Key Nature-Based Solutions (NbS)

NbS offer a set of approaches to manage fuel loads and increase forest resilience. These include:

1. Close-to-nature forestry: The goal is to sustainably manage the composition, age and structure of forests, for example by switching from monocultures to polycultures or favouring mixed stands. These practices reduce fuel connectivity and make the forest less prone to fire.
2. Prioritizing fire-resistant vegetation: Introducing deciduous (broadleaf) species into forests dominated by conifers helps slow the spread of fire.
3. Grazing management: Optimizing grazing by wild or domestic animals helps reduce vegetation density and thus reduce fuel loads in fire-prone areas. An example is Rewilding (return to a wilder landscape), which involves the reintroduction of large herbivores that effectively control fuel.
4. Green infrastructure and firebreaks: Strategically planted strips of low-flammability species that act as buffers around critical infrastructure slow the spread of fire by creating a moist and shaded environment.
5. Restoration of the hydrological regime (Rewetting): Restoring wetlands, streams, and other water retention structures creates natural firebreaks because moist areas prevent fire from spreading and reduce the risk of peat oxidation.

A key role in preventing large fires is also played by Prescribed fire under specific controlled conditions, which preventively burns the accumulated fuel.

Implementation and challenges

The selection of the most appropriate NbS depends on the specific biophysical, socio-economic and administrative conditions of the given area. For successful implementation, it is essential early stakeholder engagementto avoid conflicts with economic interests or nature conservation objectives.

In Europe, about 55% of forests are privately owned. Fragmented and small-scale private ownership, often associated with absenteeism and land abandonment, can increase the vulnerability of forests to fires and pests. Transitioning to NbS often requires significant initial investments and extends the payback period, making it financially difficult for many smallholders.

Support through clear policy and financial frameworks is needed for the successful scaling up of NbS. NbS actions such as adaptive forestry, green corridors, agroforestry, rewetting and rewilding can help strengthen synergies between climate change mitigation, adaptation and environmental protection. JRi

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