New EU data revealing a huge reduction in the number of firefighters during the worst year on record for wildfires highlights the need to end reckless cuts to our public services.
Figures published today by Eurostat show that Europe had 372,400 professional firefighters in 2025 – down from 390,600 firefighters in 2024. See notes for national figures.
The reduction coincided with the most destructive year for wildfires on record, with more than a million hectares burned across the length and breadth of the EU.
