{"id":127798,"date":"2026-08-12T05:06:37","date_gmt":"2026-08-12T05:06:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alj.com\/?post_type=perspective&p=127798"},"modified":"2026-08-12T05:06:37","modified_gmt":"2026-08-12T05:06:37","slug":"can-water-become-our-most-powerful-tool-for-preventing-wildfires","status":"publish","type":"perspective","link":"https:\/\/alj.com\/en\/perspective\/can-water-become-our-most-powerful-tool-for-preventing-wildfires\/","title":{"rendered":"Can water become our most powerful tool for preventing wildfires?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every summer, wildfires<\/a> consume more land, destroy more homes and place greater pressure on communities, ecosystems and public finances. \u00a0Rising temperatures, prolonged droughts<\/a> and decades of poor land management<\/a> have made large parts of the world increasingly vulnerable to fast-moving fires.<\/h4>\n

From southern Europe and North America<\/a> to Australia and Canada, wildfire seasons are becoming longer, more destructive and more expensive.<\/h4>\n

Governments continue to invest heavily in emergency response, but far less attention is given to preventing fires before they begin.<\/p>\n

\"Carlos
Carlos Cosin
Chief Executive Officer
Almar Water Solutions<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For Carlos Cos\u00edn<\/a>, Chief Executive Officer, ALMAR Water Solutions<\/a> (part of Jameel Environmental Services<\/a>), this is where the greatest opportunity now lies. \u00a0Throughout his career developing water infrastructure in water-stressed regions around the world, Carlos has seen how effective water management can strengthen resilience long before a crisis emerges. \u00a0In the case of wildfires, he believes water should be viewed as a cornerstone of prevention, helping to reduce the likelihood, intensity and spread of fires through better landscape management, healthier ecosystems and stronger local preparedness.<\/p>\n

ALMAR <\/a>Water Solutions, part of Jameel Environmental Services, is on the frontline of this evolving environment.\u00a0 ALMAR was established in 2016 with a mission to improve the world’s water security, particularly for the most vulnerable global communities.\u00a0 A decade later, it manages a portfolio<\/a> of desalination, wastewater treatment, reuse and recycling programs.\u00a0 With a growing number of projects across Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, Africa, and Asia-Pacific., ALMAR designs, structures financing and operates systems across the full water cycle<\/a> – from desalination and purification to wastewater treatment, reuse, distribution networks, and long-term operation and maintenance.<\/p>\n

In this Q&A, Carlos explains why wildfire resilience begins long before the first spark, how water can become one of the most effective tools for prevention, and why future fire strategies need to give as much attention to landscapes and water systems as they do to emergency response.<\/p>\n

Q. Why are wildfires becoming more destructive around the world?<\/h2>\n

Every year, the flames return with growing ferocity. \u00a0Rising temperatures, frequent droughts and poor land management have turned large parts of the planet into tinderboxes. \u00a0From the pine forests of southern Europe to the chaparral of California, the bushlands of Australia and Canada’s boreal zones, wildfires are multiplying in intensity, speed, frequency and cost.<\/p>\n

Rising temperatures, frequent droughts and poor land management have turned large parts of the planet into tinderboxes.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The 2025 wildfire season is already a stark warning:<\/p>\n