While 2024 was a more moderate wildfire year for the EU, it was still above the 17-year average. New data, included in the Joint Research Centre report on Forest Fires in Europe, Middle East and North Africa, confirms an upward trend. Facing this growing challenge will require a more balanced approach: shifting from a reactive fire suppression approach to one that includes proactive measures, such as developing integrated wildfire risk management, promoting nature-based solutions, and landscape management to reduce the vulnerability to wildfire.