A roadmap for nature-based solutions to extreme wildfires

Extreme wildfires are escalating in frequency and intensity as climate change, land abandonment, and decades of fire suppression create landscapes primed to burn. Yet wildfire management remains largely absent from the global nature-based solutions (NbSs) agenda. This perspective outlines a roadmap for deploying NbS to reduce wildfire risk and enhance landscape resilience. Key strategies include integrated fire management, close-to-nature forest practices, targeted biomass extraction for bioenergy, and strategically designed green firebreaks. However, several barriers hinder their implementation: public misconceptions of fire, the erosion of traditional fire knowledge, policy fragmentation, limited long-term funding, and insufficient incentives for rural stewardship. Mainstreaming a "fire-smart" approach into NbS requires inclusive governance, local leadership, cross-sector collaboration, and better alignment of environmental, energy, and wildfire policies. Enhanced monitoring, capacity building, and innovative financing are also essential. By addressing these challenges, NbS can become a transformative tool to promote wildfire resilience and long-term sustainability in fire-prone regions.