Southern Europe is reeling from one of its most devastating wildfire seasons in recent history. From Portugal’s rugged interior to the vineyards of southern France and the forests of Greece, record-breaking heatwaves have transformed the countryside into a volatile landscape. The fires have not only claimed lives and livestock but also exposed deep structural vulnerabilities in land management and climate resilience.
A landscape in flames
In 2025, Spain lost over 18,000 hectares of farmland, Portugal more than 2,000, and France a similar amount, including 1,000 hectares of vineyards. The total area burned is equivalent to 31,000 football fields. These figures underscore the scale of destruction, but they also reveal a paradox: in many cases, agricultural land acted as a buffer, slowing the advance of flames and protecting nearby communities.
French Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard emphasized this dual role during a visit to the fire-ravaged Aude region: “The vineyards surrounding the villages protected them” she said, contrasting this with the rapid spread of fire in neglected forests and scrublands. Her remarks have sparked renewed interest in “protective agriculture” as a tool for wildfire prevention.
Rural decline and fuel accumulation
Researchers in Spain, including José Manuel Cabrero and César Martín-Gómez, have linked the severity of recent fires to decades of rural depopulation and land abandonment. In provinces like León, the retreat from agriculture has left behind vast reservoirs of combustible vegetation. This trend is not unique to Spain; across southern Europe, the decline of traditional farming practices has created landscapes increasingly vulnerable to fire.
National responses
Governments across the region are beginning to shift from reactive firefighting to proactive adaptation. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has proposed a national pact to address the climate emergency, aiming to make wildfire resilience a permanent feature of state policy. Portugal has already implemented a “permanent structural programme” that replaces ad hoc disaster relief with automatic seasonal support.
Greece has taken a more regulatory approach. Under a law, companies with annual revenues over €500,000 are now required to insure at least 70% of their assets – including buildings, equipment, and inventory – against natural disasters such as wildfires, floods, and earthquakes. Non-compliance results in fines and exclusion from state aid, marking a significant shift in how risk is managed in the private sector.
France on track for climate adaptation?
In France, the government has announced an €8 million emergency fund and proposed loosening strict appellation rules to allow the sale of smoke-tainted grapes. The Minister envisions the Aude region as a “laboratory” for adapting agriculture to climate change, working closely with farmers and local officials to develop sustainable land-use strategies. But is this sufficient if public policies do not follow the same path?
The EU Legal framework: climate adaptation as a mandate
These national efforts align with broader European Union objectives. The EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change, reaffirmed in the European Parliament resolution of December 2020, calls for integrated risk management, increased funding, and the mobilization of public and private investments in adaptation. The strategy emphasizes the role of agriculture and biodiversity in building resilience, urging member states to restore ecosystems and promote sustainable land use.
Moreover, the European Climate Law (Regulation EU 2021/1119) legally binds the EU to climate neutrality by 2050 and requires member states to develop national adaptation plans. These plans must include robust assessments of climate risks and outline measures to protect vulnerable sectors, including agriculture.
Toward a Fire-Literate Europe
The EASAC report Changing Wildfires advocates for a fire-adapted Europe, warning that suppression-focused policies are no longer sufficient. Instead, it calls for integrated strategies that address the root causes of fire vulnerability – land abandonment, poor forest management, and climate-driven droughts.
Europe’s 2025 wildfire season has laid bare the continent’s exposure to climate extremes. But it has also catalyzed a shift in thinking – from emergency response to structural adaptation. Agriculture, once seen as a victim of fire, is maybe now being reimagined as a frontline defense. As EU law increasingly mandates climate resilience, and national governments experiment with new models, the hope is that Europe can learn not just to fight fire but to live with it. However, this will not be enough, we will need to adapt in more sectors in a Europe that will be 4°C warmer.
For further informations:
- Euractiv
- Portugal resident
- European Parliament resolution of 17 December 2020 on the EU strategy on adaptation to climate change (2020/2532(RSP))
- Firelogue
