Outdated maps and scant data hinder EU fight against forest fires

Brussels, Belgium (AFP) June 11, 2025

As global warming fuels heatwaves, more EU money is being spent on preventing wildfires - but not always effectively, auditors said on Wednesday, lamenting poor targeting and evaluation processes. About 39 percent of the European Union's land, some 160 million hectares, is covered by forests and woodlands, according to the EU data. But about 0.2 percent of it goes up in smoke in the mor