Wildfire journalism as warning communication
This project examines how wildfire journalism can strengthen European warning communication by acting as a multiplier of official alerts rather than a passive relay of crisis information. Based on a mixed-methods analysis of 250 wildfire-related news articles published during the 2025 fire season in Portugal and Spain, the research shows that journalistic framing significantly shapes how audiences perceive risk and their capacity to respond.
Wildfire coverage matters not only because it reports danger, but because it can help audiences understand what the risk means and what to do next. In fire-prone regions, journalism plays an important public role when it turns official warnings into clear, usable information for citizens, communities, and local decision-makers.
This model is particularly relevant for wildfire-prone regions in Europe, where risk is recurrent and socially embedded. It also aligns with European disaster risk reduction and civil protection frameworks by improving the clarity, usability, and cross-border transferability of warning communication.
Best Practices Manual for News Coverage of Forest Fires in Portugal and Spain. This website includes the manual in English, Portuguese, and Spanish, translating findings into editorial guidance.
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