This is based on data from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). According to them, not only the Mediterranean countries were affected this year, as is usually the case; other regions also suffered enormously. Slovenia experienced its worst forest fire in generations.
“2022 is a record year so far,” said EFFIS coordinator Jesus San-Miguel. “Drought and extremely high temperatures have hit all of Europe.” This greatly increases the risk of forest fires. “The situation is worrying – and we are only just in the middle of the fire season.” So far this year, Spain has been hit the hardest with 249,000 hectares burned. Romania follows with 151,000 and Portugal with more than 75,000 hectares.
Forest fires flared up again in southern France
Meanwhile, after a forest fire flared up again in southern France, a thousand people had to leave their homes again. According to local authorities in the Aveyron department on Sunday, the fire near the village of Mostuéjouls appeared to be on the way out before flaring up “violently” again on Saturday afternoon. According to this, an additional 500 hectares of land have burned since then. In total, more than 1,200 hectares fell victim to the flames on Sunday morning.
The fire broke out last Monday, and 3,000 people were evacuated as a precaution. They had returned to their homes after the fire seemed under control. In eastern France, the police announced over the weekend that they would block access to most of the forests in the Bas-Rhin department on the border with Germany. This should reduce the risk of new fires.
In the south-west of France, rain on Sunday night provided a brief respite from a fire that has devastated 7,400 hectares since Tuesday. The situation with the fire in the Gironde department “improved significantly overnight” due to the precipitation, said Arnaud Mendousse from the local fire brigade. At the same time he restricted: “It gives you a breather, but it doesn’t mean the end of the fight.”
Bordeaux fire under control
Dozens of firefighters from Lower Austria have been helping out in the forest fires in the Bordeaux region since Saturday. You have now got the fire on the Atlantic coast under control. As a spokesman for the local prefecture announced on Sunday afternoon, the rainy and windless night helped. The 8,000 residents who temporarily had to leave their homes could return. The fire may have been caused by arson.
Source: Nachrichten
