The cumulative burned area in Greece, from the beginning of the year until Wednesday, August 30, records an increase of +270% compared to the average area (2002 – 2022) burned annually in our country
The statistics for this year’s fire fighting season in our country remain negative, as they emerge from the analysis of the data of the European Forest Fire Information System (https://effis.jrc.ec.europa.eu) processed by the Fire Meteorological FLAME team of the METEO unit of the National Observatory of Athens (EAA).
Particularly:
The cumulative burned area in Greece, from the beginning of the year until Wednesday, August 30, records an increase of +270% compared to the average area (2002 – 2022) burned annually in our country.
Recording 1,610,080 hectares of burned land as of Wednesday, August 30, Greece ranks first among 20 Mediterranean countries. Spain comes second with 843,150 acres and Italy third with 630,610 acres. France (+68%) and Morocco (+43%) also recorded an increase in burned areas, while a decrease was recorded in the rest of the countries.
The cumulative number of large forest fires (>300 hectares) in Greece, from the beginning of the year to Wednesday 30 August, records a decrease of -20% compared to the average number of large forest fires (2002 – 2022) in our country on an annual scale. An increase in the number of forest fires is recorded in Spain (+80%), France (+198%), Morocco (+94%), Cyprus (+2%), Libya (+3%) and Slovenia (+14%).
Recording 45 large forest fires (>300 hectares) by Wednesday 30 August, Greece ranks seventh among 20 Mediterranean countries. In first place is Spain with 344 forest fires during 2023.
The average burned area per large forest fire in Greece, from the beginning of the year until Wednesday, August 24, shows an increase of +365% compared to the corresponding average of the period 2002 – 2022.
Recording, on average, 35,780 hectares per forest fire by Wednesday 30 August, Greece ranks first among 20 Mediterranean countries, by a huge margin. Algeria comes second with an average of 9,280 hectares per forest fire and Syria comes third with an average of 6,052 hectares per forest fire. Increases are also recorded in Italy (+20%), with the rest of the countries showing a decrease in average hectares per forest fire.
This evidence demonstrates that an immediate, drastic change to integrated forest fire management and response solutions.
Source: Skai
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