Across Europe, wildfires have surged in both frequency and ferocity in recent years, leading to the burning of over half a million hectares in the EU alone in 2023 and 20 megatons of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere.
To respond to these changes, we need innovations that efficiently and effectively address wildfire risk and contribute to Integrated Fire Management in Europe and beyond.
Over the past months, Bioregions Facility’s Forestry Speed Dating fourth series has focused on wildfire management, concluding on 29 April 2025. The series offered an online platform for innovators and practitioners to share solutions to address different phases of extreme wildfire events, such as response, preparedness and restoration.
Innovations leading the fight against extreme wildfires
Over six webinars, 17 wildfire innovators presented technologies and community-based solutions to tackle extreme wildfire events. Some of the solutions include:
- An autonomous vase capable of detecting and fighting forest fires from a distance of upwards of 10 metres without human intervention, water or electricity connection.
- A solar-powered gas sensor that detects fires at the smouldering phase.
- A platform to allow users to declare disaster situations through a democratic process, propose and vote on response initiatives, and allocate resources based on expert consensus.
- A post-wildfire solution offering a cost-effective, low-impact method for restoring ecosystems using drone technology.
- A risk assessment and mitigation dashboard that runs simulations of potential wildfires, considering factors such as vegetation, topography, and weather.
- A project dedicated to fostering effective social engagement and proactive wildfire prevention through landscape management.
- A system that detects, monitors, plans, and suppresses wildfires by combining heavy-lift (unmanned aerial vehicle) UAVs, ground monitoring systems, and data-driven prediction tools.
All factsheets and session recordings are publicly available on the Bioregions Facility website, ensuring continued access to cutting-edge practices.
Wildfires: collaboration leads the charge
Fostering coordination, collaboration, and knowledge exchange across sectors is essential to addressing the negative impacts of fire and harnessing the positive ones.
Knowing its importance, the Bioregions Facility partnered with FIRE-RES – a Horizon 2020 project focused on enhancing wildfire resilience by developing and implementing innovative solutions – to co-organise the fourth series of the Forestry Speed Dating webinars. The project brought together different organisations, experts and stakeholders to address the challenges of extreme wildfires.
As part of its ongoing efforts, FIRE-RES has launched a range of initiatives, including a training in Germany and Portugal, which gathered firefighters, land managers, and policymakers from multiple countries.
FIRE-RES has also launched a dedicated section on their website showcasing innovative solutions from the Open Innovation Challenge. These solutions address multiple aspects of wildfire management, including prevention, detection, response, and recovery.
