Document Actions - Published:
28 Jul 2009 - Forest fires in Spain, France,
Italy and Greece burned more than 50 000
hectares in the last four days.
The economic and environmental damage caused
by such fires extends well beyond the affected
areas. Damage to biodiversity and livelihoods
may take decades to reverse.
Fires rank among the
top causes of damage to Europe's forests.
Every year forest fires burn, on average,
about 500 000 hectares in Europe — twice
the area of Luxembourg. About 95 % of the
total area burnt lies in the Mediterranean
region, with most damage occurring during
the summer. Although the number of fires
in the last decade has increased in Europe,
the area burnt has not risen significantly
due to improved fire fighting methods.
In fact, disturbances
such as naturally occurring forest fires
are an element of the normal functioning
of ecosystems. By creating open environments
that return to forest over time, fires create
a succession of habitats in which different
organisms can thrive. Indeed, many species
in both the Mediterranean and the northern
(boreal) forests depend on such habitats.
Paradoxically, in the
boreal region fire control is extremely
efficient and it has become necessary to
carry out planned burnings to create habitats
for several threatened fire-dependant species.
The Mediterranean presents
a different picture. The current fire frequency
due to human activity is considered much
larger than the natural rate. This constitutes
a problem for human settlements and for
ecosystem conditions and biodiversity. Excessively
frequent fires degrade habitat quality and
destroy ecosystems, including forests, which
need time to develop.
In addition to losing
a part of their habitat, forest animals
suffer from greater distances between fragmented
forest patches. Less connectivity between
small forest areas makes it more difficult
for animals to ensure a viable gene pool
and survive in the long term.
Excessive forest fires
also wipe out some of the services and benefits
we obtain from forest ecosystems, including
wood for buildings, paper and fuel, recreational
services and food products.
The environmental impact
of forest fires is not limited to biodiversity
and ecosystem services. They also result
in emissions of particles and gases (including
CO2) into the atmosphere, outflow of mineral
nutrients, and destruction of the organic
layer of the soil. Furthermore, they alter
the water infiltration rates in the soil,
making burnt areas more prone to erosion,
soil loss and landslides.
Excessive forest fires
aggravate the extent of damage caused by
such natural phenomena to critical levels.
Recurrent fires when combined with droughts,
especially in southern parts of Europe,
may also lead to desertification.
Europe's forests at
a glance
One-third of Europe is now covered by forests,
corresponding to 185 million hectares (ha).
The total forest area has increased over
recent decades. Around 25 % of the total
forest area is excluded from wood harvesting
because of its special importance for biodiversity;
EEA members and associated countries have
reported an almost 40 % increase in protected
forest areas from 2000 to 2005. About 87
% of forests in EEA member and collaborating
countries are subject to some degree of
human intervention.
