Extreme wildfire events, distinguished by exceptional size, behavior, or impacts, are increasingly prevalent in temperate and Mediterranean biomes, driven by the intersection of human assets, fire-prone vegetation, and conducive weather. These fires, shaped by environmental factors like fuel amount and structure, fuel moisture content, ignition sources, and weather conditions, exhibit characteristics such as fast spread, high intensity, crowning, and spotting. The interplay between fire weather and fuels—load, composition, and structure—amplifies fire behavior and impacts at landscape levels. Remote sensing has advanced fuel assessment, boosting our ability to monitor live and dead fuel moisture and fuel structure, though limitations remain regarding spatial resolution and predictive accuracy. While remote sensing aids risk analysis and firefighters’ preparedness, its use in deterministic predictions is constrained. Mitigating the impacts of extreme wildfires necessitates understanding fuel dynamics and improving remote sensing applications for proactive wildfire management.