Wine production is deeply woven into Europe’s cultural identity and rural economy, but it is also emerging as an unexpected ally in wildfire prevention. When thoughtfully managed, vineyards can help reduce the spread of wildfires and protect Europe’s landscapes, communities and heritage.
The EU is the world’s leading wine producer, accounting for over 60 percent of global output and nearly half of worldwide consumption. The wine sector plays a vital role in supporting local jobs and countering rural depopulation, especially in regions vulnerable to climate change. It is the third largest EU agri-food sector in terms of exports and contributes significantly to rural development and land management.
Now, as wildfire risks increase across Europe, vineyards are proving useful in slowing or even stopping fires, particularly when managed in ways that promote healthier, more diverse landscapes. This article looks at how vineyards can help prevent fires, the challenges facing the wine sector, and how EU support is enabling winegrowers to play a growing role in climate and disaster resilience.
Vineyards and wildfire prevention
Europe is facing more wildfires as climate change brings rising temperatures, longer droughts and more abandoned land, all of which make many regions more vulnerable. As less land is actively farmed, vegetation becomes more overgrown, and fires can spread more easily. In France, for example, the area at risk of wildfires is expected to grow by 17 percent by 2040.
Properly maintained vineyards can be part of the solution. Research shows that vine plots, when well-managed, act as firebreaks by creating gaps in fuel and slowing the spread of flames. These managed areas can also provide valuable access points for firefighting services. Studies in fire-prone areas have shown that wildfires often stop at the edge of well-kept vineyards, provided the space between rows is not overgrown with flammable vegetation.
Vineyards can act as natural firebreaks, helping to slow or even stop wildfires when well maintained.
Making the landscape more varied, sometimes called a mosaic (PDF), is important for slowing down wildfires. The wine sector can support this by providing cultivated zones between forested or abandoned areas. However, these benefits require support. That includes identifying strategic zones where vineyards could help reduce fire risk, providing financial incentives for planting or maintaining vineyards in less commercially attractive locations, and giving winegrowers technical guidance. Recognising the broader public value of these vineyards could also justify targeted funding.
Fire Wine: an example from the field
The Fire Wine project, part of the EU-funded FIRE-RES initiative under Horizon 2020, is testing how vineyards can help reduce fire risk while also benefiting producers. Started in Catalonia, the project now includes wine regions in Spain, France, Portugal and Italy. It supports producers who use land management practices such as vegetation clearing, buffer strip maintenance and collaboration with local forestry services.
Fire-smart land management in vineyards not only reduces fire risk but can also enhance the environmental and market value of wine production.
Participating wineries can receive a label recognising their environmental commitment and become part of a network to exchange knowledge. Research linked to the project is exploring whether consumers are more likely to choose wines that deliver added social and environmental value. The hope is that producers can gain not just resilience but also a market advantage.
A study in the Bages comarca in Catalonia examined the role of vineyards in fire prevention at the forest interface. Despite decades of abandonment, pockets of viticulture remain and provide valuable insights into managing fire-prone landscapes. These isolated winegrowing areas can serve as “pilot situations” to understand how scattered viticulture might contribute to regional fire prevention strategies.
Vi Fumat: turning risk into recognition
In the Empordà region of Catalonia, the creation of “Vi Fumat” brings to life a unique and distinctive wine made from grapes exposed to wildfire smoke. This fire-smart product has become a form of positive marketing, showing how prevention and recovery efforts can
contribute to rural economies and storytelling. The narrative around Vi Fumat not only supports wildfire prevention (PDF) but also celebrates resilience, community effort and the innovative spirit of local producers. It illustrates how vineyards can serve not just as physical barriers to fire, but also as powerful tools for awareness and engagement.
Policy support for wine and fire resilience
Strengthening the role of vineyards in fire prevention can also help tackle wider pressures facing the wine sector. Europe’s wine producers are facing changing consumer habits, declining domestic wine consumption, and growing competition from other beverages. Meanwhile, extreme weather and climate stress are affecting yields and pushing up production costs.
These challenges are being addressed at the EU level. In 2024, the European Commission’s High-Level Group on Wine Policy recommended actions to help the sector adapt to the challenges ahead, including climate change. These include more flexibility in using EU support tools, better alignment with sustainability goals, and new ways to connect with evolving consumer expectations.
At the same time, the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) offers practical pathways for supporting fire prevention. The current CAP includes eco-schemes, climate adaptation measures, and rural development interventions that can support vineyards contributing to fire resilience.
Farmers who manage land to reduce fire risk are already contributing to CAP goals for biodiversity, sustainable resource use and vibrant rural economies.
The wine sector also benefits from specific EU support measures under the common market organisation. These include investments in innovation, restructuring vineyards, and promotion of sustainable production and consumption practices.
Bringing together viticulture and fire prevention
This work shows how land-based sectors like viticulture can support wildfire fighting strategies. Member States can use EU funding, disaster risk planning and technical assistance to promote fire-smart farming. These approaches support wider EU goals on climate action, rural development and disaster prevention. A recent report (PDF) prepared by civil protection experts under the Union Civil Protection Mechanism recommended to Greek authorities to include the use of firebreaks, such as vineyards or cork production, in their toolbox for wildfire risk reduction.
Vineyards are more than cultural landmarks. With the right incentives and support, they can play an essential role in protecting Europe's land, communities and heritage from increasing wildfire risks.