Escalating extreme wildfires, fueled by the confluence of climate change, land use patterns alterations, ignitions by humans, and flammable fuels accumulation, pose significant and increasingly destructive risks to critical infrastructure (CI). This study presents a comprehensive comparative analysis of wildfire impacts and the corresponding CI resilience strategies employed across the EU and the US. It examines the vulnerability of CIs to the devastating effects of wildfires and their inadvertent contribution to wildfire ignition and spread. The study evaluates the EU’s CER Directive and the US National Infrastructure Protection Plan and assesses European Commission wildfire resilience-related initiatives, including FIRELOGUE, FIRE-RES, SILVANUS, and TREEADS flagship projects. It synthesizes empirical evidence and extracts key lessons learned from major wildfire events in the EU (2017 Portuguese fires; 2018 Mati wildfire) and the US (2023 Lahaina disaster; 2025 Los Angeles fires), drawing insights regarding the effectiveness of various resilience measures and identifying areas for improvement. Persistent challenges impeding effective wildfire resilience are identified, including governance fragmentation, lack of standardization in risk assessment and mitigation protocols, and insufficient integration of scientific knowledge and data into policy formulation and implementation. It concludes with actionable recommendations aimed at fostering science-based, multi-stakeholder approaches to strengthen wildfire resilience at both policy and operational levels.

Escalating extreme wildfires, fueled by the confluence of climate change, land use patterns alterations, and flammable fuels accumulation, pose significant and increasingly destructive risks to Critical Infrastructure (CI). This study presents a comprehensive comparative analysis of wildfires impacts, and the corresponding CI resilience strategies employed across the EU and the US. It examines the vulnerability of CIs to the devastating effects of wildfires and their inadvertently contribution to wildfire ignition and spread. The study evaluates EU's CER Directive and US National Infrastructure Protection Plan and assesses European Commission wildfire resilience related initiatives including FIRELOGUE, FIRE-RES, SILVANUS, and TREEADS flagship projects. It synthesizes empirical evidence and extracts key lessons learned from major wildfire events in the EU (2017 Portuguese fires; 2018 Mati wildfire) and the US (2023 Lahaina disaster; 2025 Los Angeles fires), drawing insights regarding the effectiveness of various resilience measures and identifying areas for improvement. Persistent challenges impeding effective wildfire resilience are identified, including governance fragmentation, lack of standardization in risk assessment and mitigation protocols, and insufficient integration of scientific knowledge and data into policy formulation and implementation. It concludes with actionable recommendations aimed at fostering science-based, multi-stakeholder approaches to strengthen wildfire resilience at both policy and operational levels.

The escalating threat of climate-driven wildfires, land abandonment, wildland–urban interface expansion, and inadequate forest management poses an existential challenge to Mediterranean oak ecosystems, for which traditional fire suppression has proven insufficient. This paper presents a combination of integrated fire management (IFM) and closer-to-nature forest management (CTNFM) in a representative mixed Pyrenean oak (Quercus pyrenaica) forest at Quinta da França (QF), in Portugal. It is structured around three main objectives designed to evaluate this pioneer integrated approach: (1) to describe the integration of IFM and CTNFM within an agro-silvo-pastoral landscape; (2) to qualitatively assess its ecological, operational, and socio-economic outcomes; and (3) to quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of two key nature-based solutions (NbSs), that is, prescribed burning and planned grazing, in reducing wildfire risk and enhancing forest resilience and biodiversity. By strategically combining proactive fuel reduction with biodiversity-oriented silviculture, the QF case provides a replicable model for managing analogous Mediterranean forested areas facing similar risks. This integrated approach supports forest multifunctionality, advancing both prevention and adaptation goals, and directly contributes to the ambitious targets set by the European Union’s New Forest and Biodiversity Strategies for 2030, marking a significant step towards a more sustainable and fire-resilient future for such Mediterranean landscapes.

Unprecedented wildfires are expected to remain a major challenge for Europe in the future due to their increasing frequency and intensity. However, there is currently no standardized framework for managing wildfire risk, with no common definition of integrated wildfire risk management, and lack of consensus within sustainable forest management (SFM), with over 20 (semi-)synonyms used for Continuous Cover Forestry, such as Close-to-Nature Forest management. This open letter highlights the importance of implementing two key approaches, the Integrated Fire Management (IFM) and the EU’s proposed Closer-To-Nature Forest Management (CTNFM) approach with spatiotemporal connectivity in the face of human and natural induced drivers that enhance wildfire frequency and severity. The document discusses options to address wildfire risk challenges, and associated impacts such as forest degradation and biodiversity loss. It emphasizes the urgent need for action by EU Member States considering a bottom-up approach (local to regional and national level), political commitment, and public awareness to address these issues effectively. Key topics covered include wildfire adaptation and mitigation strategies of plant species, and the impact of climate change and land use on today’s uncharacteristic fire regimes conditions. Silvicultural closer-to-nature practices, where needed and appropriate, such as the promotion of natural forest regeneration with enhancement of native or non-native broadleaves, mixed stand composition and strategic tree spacing are examined as means to reduce the spread of fires in wildfire-prone areas. It also highlights the benefits of a multifaceted spatiotemporal scale approach to SFM that includes wildfire prevention, ecological resilience, habitat conservation and resource management. Options are presented for policy makers and relevant stakeholders to support these strategies through collaboration, enforcement, ecological stewardship, monitoring capabilities, public education, research support, and international cooperation. The integration of IFM and CTNFM can improve wildfire mitigation, preparedness, and adaptive capacity, thereby promoting resilient landscapes and communities in the long-term.

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of EU policies and practices in sustainable forest and wildfire management, focusing on integrated multifunctional forest management (IMFM) and integrated fire management (IFM). With climate change posing increasing risks to forests, the article explores key challenges related to multifunctionality, effective monitoring, policy coherence, community engagement, and the strategic use of prescribed fires. By examining the current strategies and identifying gaps, the study offers valuable insights to enhance forest governance and IMFM and IFM approaches. The findings underscore the importance of proactive adaptation and mitigation measures (prefire management strategies) to safeguard Europe’s forests and their crucial ecosystem services amidst evolving climatic conditions.

Unprecedented wildfires are expected to remain a major challenge for Europe in the coming years due to their increasing frequency and intensity. However, there is currently no standardized framework for managing wildfire risk, with no common definition of integrated wildfire risk management, and lack of consensus within sustainable forest management, with over 20 synonyms and semi-synonyms used for Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF), including among others, close-to-nature forest management. This open letter examines and highlights the importance of implementing two key approaches, the Integrated Fire Management (IFM) and the EU’s proposed approach of Closer-To-Nature Forest Management (CTNFM) with temporal and spatial connectivity in the face of climate change. The document discusses relevant management options to address wildfire risk challenges, and their associated impacts such as forest degradation and biodiversity loss. It emphasizes the urgent need for action by EU Member States in light of a bottom-up approach (local to regional and national level), political commitment, and public awareness to address these issues effectively. Key topics covered include wildfire adaptation strategies of plant species, and the impact of climate change and land use on today’s uncharacteristic fire regimes conditions. Silvicultural closer-to-nature practices, where needed and appropriate, such as the promotion of natural forest regeneration with enhancement of broadleaves, mixed stand composition and strategic tree spacing are examined as means to reduce the spread of fires in wildfire-prone areas. It also highlights the benefits of a landscape-scale approach to sustainable forest management that includes wildfire prevention, ecological resilience, habitat conservation and resource management. Options are presented for policy makers and relevant stakeholders to support these strategies through collaboration, enforcement, ecological stewardship, monitoring capabilities, public education, research support, and international cooperation. The integration of IFM and CTNFM can improve wildfire mitigation, preparedness, and adaptive capacity, thereby promoting resilient landscapes and communities in the long-term.