Extreme forest fires will occur more often in Europe in the future. This is the result of a new EASAC report, the umbrella organization of the European Academies of Sciences, in which Austrian experts were also involved. The authors ask for a reconsideration of forest fire policy: instead of relying on fire fighting, Europe will have to rely more on prevention and long -term planning in the future.
According to the report, an average of 500,000 hectares of forest is destroyed by fires in the European Union – almost twice as much as the Luxembourg area. The EASAC mentions a combination of climate change, increasing national exodus, changes in land use and the spread of monocultures.
In many regions of Europe, more frequent and long -term droughts can be expected in the future, which could double the chance of extreme forest fires against 2100.
Fire is getting more intense – also in Central Europe
Although the number of fires is decreasing as a whole also due to improved extinguishing strategies-individual fire, the EASAC Milieger Director Thomas Elmqvist is becoming more intense and larger. The Mediterranean region is particularly affected. In the future, there can be serious fire events every two years in a part of South Europe. But other regions such as Central Europe should also prepare. The temperature increases rapidly in the mountain areas, which increases the risk.
Moreover, many urban areas in Europe may be influenced by fires – considerably more than in North America or Asia. This not only entails considerable economic risks, but also forms new challenges. In January, Elmqvist referred to the devastating forest fires in Los Angeles as an example of possible scenarios in Europe.
Memory in the required politics
According to the report, the focus of the EU Forest Fire policy is mainly due to acute control and emergency measures. The Easac, on the other hand, calls for prevention to concentrate on the center. This includes a more consistent climate policy, risk -based country management and the structure of resistant landscapes.
In particular, investments in the sustainable management of forests and the renaturing of carbon -rich ecosystems as marshes are mentioned. Such measures can not only reduce fire risk, but also promote biodiversity and contribute to carbon storage.
“Learn to live with fire”
According to Elmqvist, Europe must “learn to live with the fires”. To do this, more educational and communication work is needed to increase the so -called “fire brigade” among the population and to prepare society for a new reality.
A total of 23 researchers from all over Europe participated in the report. Mortimer Müller from the Institute Forestry of the University of Natural Heritage (Boku) Vienna was involved from Austria. The EASAC office is located in Vienna.
Source: Krone
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