An area twice the size of Luxembourg burned by fires in 2023, according to the Commission’s preliminary report – Fires on the rise due to climate change
Greece (near Alexandroupoli) was affected by the largest single fire that has been noted in Europe since the 1980s, says a report published today by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre.
It is emphasized that climate change is resulting in increasingly frequent fires.
In particular, it is pointed out that area twice that of Luxembourg and specifically more than half a million hectares (504,002) were burned by fires in 2023, according to the preliminary report on forest fires in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.
Fires are becoming more frequent due to climate change
The report shows that fires intensified in the summer of 2023, mainly affecting the Mediterranean region, with Greece (near Alexandroupolis) experiencing the largest single fire to occur in Europe since the 1980s. Climate change makes fires more and more frequent, which will get worse, as highlighted by the European climate risk assessment report, published in March. Wildfires are increasingly affecting areas that were not considered fire-prone in the past.
In addition, preliminary data for the first three months of 2024 show almost twice the average number of fires, although these did not have a significant impact in terms of burned areas.
Analysis by vegetation type for 2023 reveals that 37% of the total burned area was covered by scrub and sclerophyll vegetation, characterized by hard, dense leaves and adapted to prolonged periods of drought, while 26% (120,000 ha) was forest. According to the report, the fires caused severe damage to the environment, producing around 20 megatonnes (Mt) of CO2 emissions, equivalent to almost a third of all emissions from international aviation in the EU in one year. The three worst years this century by the extent of burnt area mapped by the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) were 2017 (988,427 ha), 2022 (837,212 ha) and 2007 (588,388 ha). The final 2023 report, incorporating national contributions, is due to be published in the autumn.
The Commission published in March 2024 a communication on building climate resilience in the EU and effectively managing climate risks. As part of immediate action, the measures call for enhanced prevention, including nature-based solutions, better preparedness thanks to early warning systems and effective fire-fighting means available through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM).
Source: Skai
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