Wildfires are among the most visible and devastating consequences of climate change. To prevent such extreme weather events and mitigate their impact, research is indispensable. In 2019, the European Anti-Fraud Office found that a European research consortium supposedly working on forest fire detection had syphoned off close to half a million euros in public funds. Most of the money went into a casino and hotel project in Cyprus – an island regularly hit by often deadly wildfires.