25-26 November 2025, the 2nd Euro-Mediterranean Workshop on Wildfires, Barcelona, Spain

Wildfire seasons across the Mediterranean are becoming longer, more complex and increasingly transboundary. This is precisely why regional cooperation is no longer optional. It is operationally necessary.

On 25-26 November 2025, the 2nd Euro-Mediterranean Workshop on Wildfires took place in Barcelona, bringing together civil protection authorities, operational services, scientists, policymakers and regional partners to strengthen wildfire prevention, preparedness and response across the Euro-Mediterranean region.

Organised by the European Commission DG ECHO, the Union for the Mediterranean, PPRD Mediterranean and OSA, the workshop focused on practical cooperation: early-warning systems, cross-border coordination, interoperable response mechanisms, satellite services, GIS, drones, AI-driven modelling and the use of real-time data to improve situational awareness and decision-making.

For PPRD Med, this workshop was an important step in connecting policy, science, technology and operational practice. The challenge is not only to discuss wildfire risk, but to translate lessons learned into usable tools, shared procedures, training, and stronger regional preparedness.

The Mediterranean region is already experiencing the consequences of climate change, land-use pressure and increasingly severe fire seasons. Strengthening cooperation between partner countries, EU institutions, the Union Civil Protection Mechanism and technical actors is essential to reduce risk, protect communities and support faster, better-coordinated response.