The increasing threat of wildfires across Europe has made international cooperation more important than ever. While countries like Portugal, Spain, and Greece have long battled devastating forest fires, it was once believed that central and northern European nations were largely immune to such risks. However, over the past decades, rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, and changing landscapes have shown that wildfires are a growing danger in all parts of Europe.
The European Forest Fire Association e.V. was founded to unite European expertise in wildfire management, improve cooperation between countries, and develop standardized strategies for prevention, response, and recovery.
But the story of European Forest Fire Association e.V. began long before its official founding—in 2010, during a firefighter exchange between Germany and Portugal, where the first key insights were gained into how wildfire threats were evolving across Europe.
How It All Began: The German-Portuguese Firefighter Exchange on Vegetation Fires
In 2010, German and Portuguese fire departments initiated an exchange program specifically focused on vegetation fires. At the time, wildfires were not yet considered a major concern in Germany, but some firefighting experts were already looking ahead, recognizing the increasing risk of vegetation fires due to climate change.
Germany had historically dealt with forest and heathland fires, but these were relatively small in scale compared to the large, fast-spreading wildfires that Portugal was regularly experiencing. During the exchange, German firefighters observed first-hand:
- How rapidly wildfires spread in dry conditions and how wind and terrain influenced fire behavior.
- The challenges of limited water availability in wildfire suppression, compared to urban firefighting.
- Specialized wildfire tactics such as indirect attack strategies, controlled burns, and the use of firebreaks.
The Portuguese fire services shared their expertise in managing large-scale vegetation fires, highlighting the importance of proper training, adapted equipment, and proactive land management.
This exchange was a turning point. It became clear that wildfire risks were not just a Mediterranean problem—climate change was making vegetation fires a growing threat across Europe, including Germany.
The Need for a European Approach to Wildfires
By the late 2010s, Germany, Sweden, Poland, and other countries that had not traditionally faced wildfire threats began experiencing severe forest fires. At the same time, southern European nations were dealing with longer, more intense fire seasons due to climate change.
Despite these shared challenges, European countries often lacked coordinated wildfire response mechanisms. Fire services used different tactics, operated under different policies, and had limited cross-border collaboration. European Forest Fire Association e.V. was created to change that.
The European Forest Fire Association was founded with several key goals:
✅ To unite wildfire experts across Europe and facilitate knowledge exchange.
✅ To establish European-wide standards for wildfire prevention and response.
✅ To promote research and technological advancements in wildfire management.
✅ To train firefighters in climate-adaptive strategies.
✅ To strengthen cross-border cooperation and resource sharing.
With these objectives in mind, European Forest Fire Association e.V. serves as a platform for collaboration, ensuring that European firefighters, forestry experts, and policymakers work together to develop solutions for the increasing wildfire risks.
Building a Stronger Future Together
The founding of European Forest Fire Association e.V. was a direct response to the realization that wildfires are a European challenge, not just a southern European issue. What began as a firefighter exchange between Germany and Portugal in 2010, focused specifically on vegetation fires, grew into a movement—a movement that emphasizes collaboration, innovation, and preparedness.
Today, EFFA continues to expand its reach, bringing together fire professionals, researchers, and policymakers to build a safer and more resilient Europe in the face of growing wildfire threats. Through cooperation, shared knowledge, and proactive strategies, we can protect our forests, communities, and future generations.