Forest Fires in Europe 2009
When huge parts of nature are burning as a result of a combination of weather conditions, fuel
accumulation, and human intervention and this becomes a recurrent issue, we should find ways
together to counteract. This is particularly true as regards protected forest areas for which so many
efforts have been undertaken by the Member States with EU support, especially for protecting
biodiversity-rich land.
The present report is the tenth of the series and is based on the European Forest Fire Information
System (EFFIS) which delivers, inter alia, all the data needed to forecast forest fire danger in
Europe, to assess the damages caused by forest fires and to analyze their causes. The development
of EFFIS has been supported by the Commissioners in charge of Environment and Research
through the close collaboration of the Directorate General Environment and the Joint Research
Centre. EFFIS has become a vehicle to further support the ¿forest fire community¿ in the Member
States. The system is an example of how Member States and the Commission can work together on
a purely voluntary basis and we would like to thank the competent national authorities for their
active contribution.
The year 2009 is subject of the present report. 2009 has been a rather unspectacular year as regards
forest fire damages in Europe. Despite this, and recognizing the relevance of the forest fire issue,
during that period several Commission services were again involved in promoting EU actions
aiming at mitigating damages caused by forest fires to human beings and the environment. New
initiatives have been taken focusing on an enhanced forest fire prevention and on adapting our
forests to challenges resulting from climate change. In these fields, the European Council issued
two Council conclusions on ¿forest fires prevention¿ and ¿preparing our forest to climate change¿
during the first semester of 2010, the Commission adopted the ¿Green Paper on forest protection
and information¿ and the Parliament took initiatives in the field of forest fire prevention. The
Commission recognizes and appreciates the active involvement of the Member States and hope that
further common ground can be found to safeguard European forests which are an essential element
of our cultural heritage.
The Commission services working in the field of forest fires count on the support of all Member
States, including those for which forest fires are not yet a priority. The collaboration of all involved
services in the EU and the Member States will help in finding ways and efficient solutions to avoid
burning land with all its negative consequences on our environment.
SCHMUCK Guido;
SAN-MIGUEL-AYANZ Jesus;
CAMIA Andrea;
TRACY Durrant;
SANTOS DE OLIVEIRA Sandra;
BOCA Roberto;
WHITMORE Ceri;
GIOVANDO Cristiano;
LIBERTA' Giorgio;
SCHULTE Ernst;
2011-03-09
Publications Office of the European Union
JRC60023
978-92-79-16494-1,
1018-5593,
EUR 24502 EN,
OP LB-NA-24502-EN-C,
http://effis.jrc.ec.europa.eu/reports,
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC60023,
10.2788/74089,
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