Europe is experiencing increasing risks from natural hazards, with wildfires becoming more frequent and intense, and earthquakes remaining a persistent concern. The region is warming faster than any other in the world, leading to projections that extreme wildfires will rise by 14% by 2030 and by 50% by the end of the century. In 2025 alone, over one million hectares have burned across the European Union, which is four times higher than the annual average since records began in 2006. While Mediterranean countries are most affected, wildfire risks are spreading northward to areas such as Scandinavia, where peatland fires now pose new threats.
Critical infrastructure in Europe is also at risk. In several EU member states, more than 80% of roads and 70% of power lines are located in areas prone to wildfires. Despite these mounting challenges, levels of preparedness vary across the continent.
The World Bank Group and the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery have released a series of reports funded by the European Union under its Technical Assistance Financing Facility for Disaster Prevention and Preparedness. These reports outline practical steps for strengthening disaster preparedness for both wildfires and earthquakes in Europe. They draw on case studies from Croatia, Cyprus, and Romania to provide recommendations on how governments can allocate resources more effectively.
The reports highlight that resilience can be improved through investments in climate- and seismic-resilient infrastructure, enhanced early-warning systems, better public awareness campaigns, integrated governance linking wildfire prevention with land-use management, seismic retrofitting combined with energy-efficiency upgrades, improved data tools for decision-making, community engagement such as evacuation drills and public campaigns, as well as innovative financing mechanisms like contingency funds and insurance.
According to the findings: "Integrated governance can link wildfire prevention to land-use with land-use and natural resource management," while "seismic retrofitting can be paired with energy-efficiency and other multi-hazard upgrades." The reports emphasize that community involvement plays a key role: "Community engagement—from evacuation drills to public campaigns—can help foster a culture of preparedness."
The case studies included cover both wildfire risk management (Croatia, Cyprus, Romania) and earthquake risk management (Croatia, Cyprus, Romania), offering lessons applicable not only within Europe but also for governments worldwide seeking to build long-term disaster resilience.